ABSTRACT
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the key risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It is of huge public health significance, both in terms of its consequences and its treatment, with as many as 75 million adults having hypertension in the USA alone. In only a small minority of cases is the underlying cause understood: on a population basis, nearly all hypertension is labeled as essential, a euphemism for cause unknown. The physiology of blood pressure control is well understood, however, and many types of drug have been developed which target specific control mechanisms, with more drugs under development. It is important for the individual patient concerned not to miss the small minority of cases that do have a well-characterized cause in order to ensure that they receive the correct treatment.
