High blood pressure is sometimes referred to as 'hypertension'. In fact the two terms are often interchangeable. Sometimes it is possible for a doctor to pinpoint the exact cause of a patient’s high blood pressure but very often, the cause or causes are not obvious. For that reason, most of the time, high blood pressure is referred to as 'essential' or 'primary' blood pressure or 'hypertension', meaning the cause is not easy to determine.

'Secondary hypertension' is another category of high blood pressure which is evidenced in approximately 10% of individuals suffering from high blood pressure. This is when the problem is easy to pinpoint and is linked to a particular medical condition or problem such as hormonal disorders, kidney disease or a variety of other diseases. It may even be the result of taking specific drugs. Once the problem is diagnosed and preventative steps are taken to correct it, the patient’s blood pressure usually returns to normal.