ENDOCRINE HYPERTENSION
Endocrine hypertension is hypertension caused by an endocrine disease.
What is endocrine hypertension?
Endocrine hypertension, which is usually called secondary, is the hypertension caused by an endocrine disease that causes hypersecretion of one or more hormones that regulate blood pressure.
TopWhich are the hormones that regulate blood pressure?
The predominant hormone that regulates blood pressure is aldosterone secreted by the adrenal glands. However, cortisol and catecholamines, which are also secreted by the adrenal glands (from the adrenal cortex and medulla, respectively), also contribute significantly to blood pressure control. Hypersecretion of these hormones leads to severe hypertension. Hypertension is also caused by both hyper – and under-secretion of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), while over-secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by the parathyroid glands and growth hormone by the pituitary gland also lead to hypertension.
TopWhat are the endocrine causes of hypertension?
There are at least 14 endocrine disorders in which hypertension is the first sign with which the disease appears. The most common endocrine causes of hypertension are:
- Pheochromocytoma
- Primary hyperaldosteronism
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Adrenal incidentaloma (tumour, adenoma)
- Adrenal cancer
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Acromegaly
- Primary hyperparathyroidism
- Apparent mineralocorticoid excess syndrome
- Medicines
How is endocrine hypertension diagnosed?
Once severe or resistant hypertension or hypertension at a young age has been diagnosed, the endocrinologist will investigate the specific endocrine disease that causes it, through hormonal and imaging studies but also specialized endocrine tests, which require specialized knowledge, experience and a specialized centre, both to be performed and interpreted.
TopWhat are the symptoms and signs of endocrine hypertension?
Symptoms and signs of endocrine hypertension are:
- Severe hypertension, resistant to anti-hypertensive medications
- Paroxysmal hypertension crises
- Headaches, tachycardia, sweating
- Central obesity, bruising, muscle weakness
- Fatigue, dry skin, constipation, cold intolerance
- Rapid heartbeat, weight loss, irritability
- The symptoms and signs of the endocrine disease that causes it
- Headaches, tachycardia, sweating
- Central obesity, bruising, muscle weakness
- Fatigue, dry skin, constipation, cold intolerance
- Rapid heartbeat, weight loss, irritability
What are the complications of endocrine hypertension?
Complications due to hypertension affect various organs of the body, are serious and therefore should be treated immediately. The most common ones are:
- Electrolyte abnormalities
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Cerebral haemorrhage
- Heart attack
- Kidney failure
- Eye problems (hypertensive retinopathy)
- The complications of the endocrine disease that causes the hypertension
What is the treatment of endocrine hypertension?
Treatment of endocrine hypertension consists of treating the endocrine disease that causes it and can be:
- Surgical: removal of the endocrine tumour that causes it
- Medical
Why is it important to treat endocrine hypertension?
Endocrine hypertension is usually severe and resistant to anti-hypertensive medications. The result of uncontrolled blood pressure is that target organs remain exposed to the harmful effects of hypertension, resulting in an increased risk of complications, reduced life expectancy and quality of life. In order to avoid all the above, the endocrine disease that causes hypertension should be treated. This requires specialised knowledge and experience and a correct diagnosis, which also requires specialised knowledge and training.
TopWhy us?
Having been trained and worked in one of the world’s largest centres for the investigation and treatment of endocrine diseases that cause hypertension, at the National Institute of Health in the US and in leading hospitals in the US and Europe together with world-class endocrinologists, we have the knowledge, scientific training and many years of experience in the treatment of endocrine hypertension diseases, maintaining a high level of medical services.