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Cortisol and Hypertension

Meaning

Cortisol and Hypertension describes the well-established clinical relationship where a state of chronic or pathological excess of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol directly contributes to the development or significant exacerbation of high blood pressure. Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, exerts a powerful influence on overall cardiovascular function through a cascade of interconnected physiological pathways, making its sustained dysregulation a central concern in secondary endocrine-related hypertension. Clinical syndromes characterized by cortisol overproduction, such as Cushing’s syndrome, are frequently associated with severe and often treatment-resistant hypertension.