Cases of elevated blood pressure are roughly divided into two categories.

As a rule, high blood pressure diagnoses in grown-up people are of unidentifiable nature (up to 95 percent). Such a state, called primary hypertension (essential hypertension), appears progressively during many years.

The rest of cases are caused by a certain medical condition. This state is referred to as secondary hypertension. With secondary hypertension blood pressure level is usually higher and its manifestations are subitaneous. Among several states leading to secondary hypertension healthcare professionals name congenital heart defects, tumors of the adrenal gland, kidney problems.

Risk of secondary hypertension increases considerably due to certain drugs, both over-the-counter and illegal. Cold remedies, pain relievers, birth control pills are in the first group. Amphetamines and cocaine belong to the second one. The same is true for certain prescription medicines.