Cardiovascular causes of systemic hypertension.

Although cardiovascular disease is an uncommon cause of hypertension, the number one cardiovascular cause of hypertension, coarctation of the aorta, is easy to diagnose and treat. It is therefore mandatory that every individual who is evaluated for hypertension should have blood pressures measured in the arms and legs. The other, more uncommon cardiovascular causes of hypertension (Table 1), also can usually be diagnosed from a thorough history and physical examination.