Hypertension caused by underlying condition such as pregnancy or kidney failure is called?

• A. Secondary hypertension
• B. Primary hypertension
• C. White coat hypertension
• D. Pseudohypertension

Answer: (A)

When high blood pressure arises because of another medical condition, it’s called secondary hypertension. This is different from essential (primary) hypertension, which has no identifiable underlying cause. Pregnancy-related hypertension and hypertension from kidney failure are classic examples, because the elevated pressure comes from the underlying condition itself rather than from a primary problem with blood pressure regulation. In pregnancy, disorders like preeclampsia can drive high pressure through placental and vascular changes; in kidney disease, fluid retention and activation of systems like the renin-angiotensin pathway push BP upward. Because the root cause is the driver, treating that condition can improve or resolve the hypertension, and management may differ from primary hypertension. Choices like white coat hypertension reflect elevated readings only in a clinical setting due to anxiety, not a causal disease; pseudohypertension is a measurement artifact; and primary hypertension is high blood pressure without an identifiable secondary cause.