Current Hypertension Reviews - Volume 16, Issue 1, 2020

It is estimated that 5-10% of hypertensive patients have secondary hypertension. The main causes of secondary hypertension are parenchymal renal disease, primary aldosteronism and renovascular hypertension. The identification of these patients is important because it enables the etiological management of the underlying disease and in some cases leads to blood pressure control without antihypertensive medications. On the other hand, diagnostic evaluation for secondary hypertension often includes complex and expensive tests and should be performed only in patients with a strong clinical suspicion for its presence. If preliminary screening tests suggest the presence of secondary hypertension, these patients should be referred to specialized centers for further diagnostic evaluation and comprehensive management.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by the simultaneous presence of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia in an individual, leading to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. It affects almost 35% of the US adult population, while its prevalence increases with age. Elevated blood pressure is the most frequent component of the syndrome; however, until now, the optimal antihypertensive regiment has not been defined. Objective: The purpose of this review is to present the proposed definitions for the metabolic syndrome, as well as the prevalence of hypertension in this condition. Moreover, evidence regarding the metabolic properties of the different antihypertensive drug classes and their effect on MetS will be displayed. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to identify data from clinical studies for the prevalence, pathophysiology and treatment of hypertension in the metabolic syndrome. Results: Hypertension is present in almost 80% of patients with metabolic syndrome. The use of thiazide diuretics and b-blockers has been discouraged in this population; however, new evidence suggests their use under specific conditions. Calcium channel blockers seem to exert a neutral effect on MetS, while renin-angiotensin system inhibitors are believed to be of the most benefit, although differences exist between the different agents of this category. Conclusion: Controversy still exists regarding the optimal antihypertensive treatment for hypertension in MetS. Due to the high prevalence of hypertension in this population, more data from clinical trials are needed in the future.

Background: Primary aldosteronism is one of the most common causes of secondary hypertension. Patients with this endocrine syndrome are at increased cardiovascular risk, higher than hypertensive individuals with equal blood pressure levels. Objectives: The study aimed to thoroughly present and critically discuss the novel insights into the field of primary aldosteronism, focusing on the clinically meaningful aspects. Method: We meticulously evaluated existing data in the field of primary aldosteronism in order to summarize future perspectives in this narrative review. Results: Novel data suggests that a subclinical form of primary aldosteronism might exist. Interesting findings might simplify the diagnostic procedure of the disease, especially for the localization of primary aldosteronism. The most promising progress has been noted in the field of the molecular basis of the disease, suggesting new potential therapeutic targets. Conclusion: Several significant aspects are at early stages of evaluation. Future research is essential to investigate these well-promising perspectives.

Renovascular hypertension (RVH) remains among the most prevalent and important, but also potentially reversible, causes of secondary hypertension. The predominant causes of renal artery stenosis (RAS) are atherosclerotic renovascular arterial stenosis (ARAS) and renal fibromuscular dysplasia. This condition can lead to progressive renal injury, cardiovascular complications and ‘flash pulmonary edema’. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomographic angiography and magnetic resonance angiography are the most commonly used diagnostic methods. There are three therapeutic options available: medical therapy including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system antagonists, lipid-lowering agents, and antiplatelet therapy, percutaneous angioplasty with or without stent placement and surgical revascularization. Three large trials failed to demonstrate the superiority of renal artery revascularization over pharmaceutical therapy in controlling blood pressure and preserving renal function. For this reason, today revascularization is only recommended for patients with progressive worsening of renal function, recurrent ‘flash pulmonary edema’ and rapid increase in antihypertensive requirement in patients with previously well-controlled hypertension. However, more properly designed trials are needed in order to identify which patient populations would probably benefit from renal revascularization.

Background: The relationship between obesity and hypertension has been established in both adults and children. The combination of obesity, hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors significantly increases the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular effects and raises concerns about aggressive treatment strategies. Objective: Despite the impressive elements which indicate an important role for excessive weight gain in increasing blood pressure, not all obese patients are hypertensive. A subgroup of obese people may not develop hypertension. Furthermore, masked hypertension occurs more common among obese patients, and body fat distribution has a major role in the development of hypertension. Method: We conducted a research of the relevant literature regarding obesity-induced hypertension and possible treatment strategies. Results: Successful weight loss is correlated with blood pressure reduction and requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes personalized dietary interventions combined with regular exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy. Conclusion: Pharmacological therapy may be considered as part of a comprehensive obesity management strategy. More research and new treatment therapies are required in this field.

Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, not only in adults, but in youths also, as it is associated with long-term negative health effects. The predominant type of hypertension in children is the secondary hypertension, with the chronic kidney disease being the most common cause, however, nowadays, there is a rising incidence of primary hypertension due to the rising incidence of obesity in children. Although office blood pressure has guided patient management for many years, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring provides useful information, facilitates the diagnosis and management of hypertension in children and adolescents, by monitoring treatment and evaluation for secondary causes or specific phenotypes of hypertension. In the field of secondary hypertension, there are numerous studies, which have reported a strong association between different determinants of 24-hour blood pressure profile and the underlying cause. In addition, in children with secondary hypertension, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters offer the unique advantage to identify pediatric low- and high-risk children for target organ damage. Novel insights in the pathogenesis of hypertension, including the role of perinatal factors or new cardiovascular biomarkers, such as fibroblast growth factor 23, need to be further evaluated in the near future.

Management of arterial hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a major challenge due to its high prevalence and associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CKD progression. Several clinical trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that aggressive treatment of hypertension in patients with and without CKD lowers the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, nevertheless the effects of blood pressure (BP) lowering in terms of renal protection or harm remain controversial. Both home and ambulatory BP estimation have shown that patients with CKD display abnormal BP patterns outside of the office and further investigation is required, so as to compare the association of ambulatory versus office BP measurements with hard outcomes and adjust treatment strategies accordingly. Although renin-angiotensin system blockade appears to be beneficial in patients with advanced CKD, especially in the setting of proteinuria, discontinuation of renin-angiotensin system inhibition should be considered in the setting of frequent episodes of acute kidney injury or hypotension while awaiting the results of ongoing trials. In light of the new evidence in favor of renal denervation in arterial hypertension, the indications and benefits of its application in individuals with CKD need to be clarified by future studies. Moreover, the clinical utility of the novel players in the pathophysiology of arterial hypertension and CKD, such as microRNAs and the gut microbiota, either as markers of disease or as therapeutic targets, remains a subject of intensive research.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disease in women during reproductive age. It was shown that PCOS women are with high risk for dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. These factors are considered to represent traditional risk factors for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Observed increased risk for hypertension in PCOS women seems to be associated with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Both conditions interfere with the endothelium-dependent vasodilatation mechanisms causing vascular muscle wall hypertrophy. Obesity and insulin resistance are considered key factors for the alteration of blood pressure in PCOS women. Higher cardiovascular risk is implicated in PCOS with aging and its consequent association with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The elements of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) have an impact on endothelial dysfunction as a marker of cardiovascular damage that could be modified is women with PCOS. Androgens and components of RAAS are involved in the process of atherogenesis in PCOS women. Therefore, it is hypothesized that spironolactone treatment could ameliorate endothelial dysfunction in PCOS women. Recently it was shown that telmisartan, angiotensin II receptor antagonist poses insulinsensitizing capacity to activate PPAR gamma and mediate favorable metabolic and reproductive effects in hypertensive PCOS women.

Hypertension is the most common chronic disease and the leading risk factor for disability and premature deaths in the world, accounting for more than 9 million deaths annually. Resistant hypertension is a particularly severe form of hypertension. It was described 50 years ago and since then has been a very active field of research. This review aims at summarizing the most recent findings on resistant hypertension. The recent concepts of apparent- and true-resistant hypertension have stimulated a more precise definition of resistant hypertension taking into account not only the accuracy of blood pressure measurement and pharmacological class of prescribed drugs but also patient adherence to drugs and life-style recommendations. Recent epidemiological studies have reported a 10% prevalence of resistant hypertension among hypertensive subjects and demonstrated the high cardiovascular risk of these patients. In addition, these studies identified subgroups of patients with even higher morbidity and mortality risk, probably requiring a more aggressive medical management. In the meantime, guidelines provided more standardized clinical work-up to identify potentially reversible causes for resistant hypertension such as secondary hypertension. The debate is however still ongoing on which would be the optimal method(s) to screen for non-adherence to hypertension therapy, recognized as the major cause for (pseudo)-resistance to treatment. Recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the strong benefit of anti-aldosterone drugs (mostly spironolocatone) as fourth-line therapies in resistant hypertension whereas clinical trials with device-based therapies displayed contrasting results. New trials with improved devices and more carefully selected patients with resistant hypertension are ongoing.

Background: Depression and hypertension are medical problems both with clearly restricted pharmacotherapies, along with a high prevalence around the world. In fact, an intensive discussion in the field is that a dysregulation of the intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis (e.g. excess of intracellular Ca2+) contributes to the pathogenesis of both hypertension and depression. Furthermore, depression rises the risk of hypertension incidence. Indeed, several data support the concept that depression is an independent risk issue for hypertension. Conclusion: Then, which are the possible cellular mechanisms involved in this link between depression and hypertension? Considering our previous reports about the Ca2+ and cAMP signalling pathways (Ca2+/cAMP signalling), in this review I have discussed the virtual involvement of the Ca2+/cAMP signalling in this link (between depression and hypertension). Then, it is important to consider depression into account during the process of prevention, and treatment, of hypertension.

We are of the opinion that fasting in Muslims during the month of Ramadhan could cause hypertension secondary to dehydration that inevitably follows. Dehydration initiates a cascade of hormonal events that finally culminate in hypertension. This hypothesis however needs to be tested in a randomized trial to be confirmed.