High blood pressure happens when your blood pushes too hard against the walls of your arteries while traveling through your body. This extra pressure — called hypertension — can damage your heart, brain, eyes, lungs, and kidneys over time.
Doctors use the term secondary hypertension to refer to high blood pressure caused by an underlying disease, such as a kidney or endocrine condition. When secondary hypertension is caused by kidney disease, it is sometimes called renal hypertension.
The experts at UPMC specialize in treating secondary hypertension. Our team will find the cause of your condition and develop a treatment plan to manage your symptoms and reduce your risk of complications.
Doctors use the term secondary hypertension to refer to high blood pressure caused by an underlying disease, such as a kidney or endocrine condition. When secondary hypertension is caused by kidney disease, it is sometimes called renal hypertension.
Your doctor may suspect secondary hypertension if you have high blood pressure that:
There are different types of secondary hypertension, including:
Secondary hypertension can have different causes, including:
Renal hypertension is a type of secondary hypertension that is caused by kidney disease.
The most common cause of secondary hypertension is kidney disease. Hormone disorders and obstructive sleep apnea are other common causes.
You may be at higher risk for secondary hypertension if you have conditions including:
High blood pressure can damage blood vessels over time, leading to complications that affect your heart, brain, and kidneys. If left untreated, high blood pressure can be life-threatening.
You may be able to prevent secondary hypertension by maintaining a healthy weight and treating any health conditions that can increase your risk for the disease. If you can’t prevent your secondary hypertension, taking care of your overall health can help you manage your condition.
To reduce your risk of secondary hypertension, you can:
Although high blood pressure is a common condition, especially among older people, secondary hypertension only affects about 10% of people diagnosed with high blood pressure. However, secondary hypertension is more common in younger people with high blood pressure.
Most people with high blood pressure don’t notice any symptoms.
Severe high blood pressure can cause:
In some cases, secondary hypertension may go away if the underlying cause is successfully treated. Some types of secondary hypertension may not go away but may be managed with ongoing treatment.
If you experience severe symptoms of high blood pressure, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
If a medical provider tells you that your blood pressure is high or you notice an increase in your blood pressure during a home test, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care provider.
If your primary care doctor suspects you may have secondary hypertension caused by a kidney condition, they will refer you to a nephrologist — also known as a kidney doctor. Your nephrologist will perform a physical exam, talk to you about your health history, and order blood and urine tests that can help to diagnose secondary hypertension.
Your nephrologist will try to find the cause of your high blood pressure by:
Your doctor may order tests to find the cause of your high blood pressure, including:
Your doctor may also order a test called an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which shows how efficiently your kidneys are functioning based on your age, creatinine level, and sex.
Your secondary hypertension prognosis depends on the cause and severity of your condition, as well as your overall health. Your doctor will discuss your prognosis with you.
At UPMC, we’ll work with you to identify the cause of your high blood pressure and help you manage end-organ damage from secondary hypertension.
By identifying the cause of your hypertension, your nephrologist can work with you to develop a personalized plan to treat your condition and get your blood pressure under control.
Goals of secondary hypertension treatment include:
If you have secondary hypertension caused by kidney disease, your doctor will design a treatment plan that may include:
Your doctor will suggest lifelong lifestyle changes to help control your hypertensive kidney disease, including:
Your doctor can refer you to a UPMC nutritionist or weight-loss specialist if you need help.
Most people who have secondary hypertension also need to take one or more drugs to control their high blood pressure.
Medications may include:
A new, FDA-approved procedure called renal denervation is a minimally invasive treatment option for people with secondary hypertension that doesn’t respond to medication or lifestyle changes.
Renal denervation works by destroying overactive nerves near the renal (kidney) arteries that control blood pressure. When these nerves become overactive, they send signals to the brain that tell the body to raise blood pressure. Destroying the nerves and “disconnecting” them from the brain can help lower blood pressure.
During renal denervation, your doctor will:
Renal denervation is typically an outpatient procedure, so you should be able to return home the same day. Most people can resume normal activities within a few days.
Renal denervation is a highly successful procedure for secondary hypertension. Most people see a drop in their blood pressure numbers and can reduce their blood pressure medications. Some people may be able to stop taking blood pressure medications completely.
In patients with decreased blood flow to the kidneys, your nephrologist may refer you to another medical specialist, such as an interventionalist, vascular surgeon, or urologist, to perform procedures to improve blood flow to the kidneys.
Procedures include:
When you choose UPMC for secondary hypertension care, you will receive:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-24 by William Hoffman, MD.
