Hypertension Causes

Age under 18 years
1. Secondary cause in 10-15% of cases (70-85% of cases if under age 11 years old)
2. Aortic Coarctation (esp. males)
3. Renal parenchymal disease (most common in under age <12 years)
  1. Glomerulonephritis
  2. Vesicoureteral Reflux Nephropathy
  3. Conngenital abnormalities
Age 19 to 39 years
1. Secondary cause in 5% of cases
2. Renal Artery Stenosis due to fibromuscular dysplasia
3. Thyroid Disease
4. Renal parenchymal disease
Age 40 to 64 years
1. Secondary cause in 8 to 12% of cases
2. Hyperaldosteronism
3. Thyroid Disease
4. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
5. Cushing Syndrome
6. Pheochromocytoma
Age over 65 years
1. Secondary cause in 17% of cases
2. Renal Artery Stenosis due to atherosclerotic disease
3. Chronic Kidney Disease
4. Thyroid Disease (Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism)
References
1. Viera (2010) Am Fam Physician 82(12): 1471-8 [PubMed]

See Hypertension in Infants
Renal parenchymal disease (Most common cause in children under age 12 years - up to 70%)
1. Glomerulonephritis
2. Vesicoureteral Reflux Nephropathy
Vascular Causes
1. Renal Artery Stenosis (due to fibromuscular dysplasia)
2. Aortic Coarctation
Endocrine conditions
Essential Hypertension
1. Less common in age <10 years (although accounts for growing percentage in this age group)
2. Most common cause in adolescents and adults
Miscellaneous Causes
1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
2. Rheumatologic Disorder
Medications
1. See Medication Causes of Hypertension
2. See Medication causes listed above under adult section