Peer Reviewed
Feature Article Cardiovascular medicine
Investigation of the patient with hypertension
Abstract
The diagnosis of hypertension should be made over several visits of the patient to the GP. An elevated blood pressure may be due to white-coat hypertension or may be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as chronic kidney disease.
Key Points
- The diagnosis of hypertension should be made over several visits of the patient to the GP surgery.
- Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is useful to evaluate a patient for white-coat hypertension or masked hypertension.
- Home blood pressure monitoring is now frequently used by patients in the management of their condition.
- All patients with hypertension should be screened for diseases of the kidney, which are probably the most common secondary cause of hypertension.
- Other secondary causes of hypertension to consider include primary aldosteronism and phaeochromocytoma.
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