Complications Of Hypertension

Egypt
February 12, 2007 5:18pm CST
Hypertension can damage both large and small arteries,leading to diseases in the tissues and organs supplied by these blood vessels,the most tissues affected are the kidney,brain and eyes Hypertension accelerates atheroscelrosis and leads to left ventricular hypertropy Hypertension can damage the kidneys in 2 ways: by promoting atheroscleroting narrwoing of the main arteries supplying the kidneys and by damagind small arteries within the kidney.both can lead to kidney faliure Persistant elevation of blood pressure can damage the tiny arteries that supply the retina resulting in hypertensive retinopathy
2 responses
@gerald_lian (2188)
• Australia
20 Nov 07
Hypertension can cause the acceleration of atheromatous disease such as peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease (eg. heart attack, heart failure, angina), cerebrovascular disease and renal artery disease. Hypertension also decreases myocardial compliance and an increase in the atrial contribution to diastolic filling and cardiac output. This can ultimately result in congestive cardiac failure and pulmonary oedema. In order to cope with increased afterload, the heart hypertrophies (grows larger). Hypertrophy leads to increased myocardial requirements and endomyocardial fibrosis, resulting in reduced heart compliance. Cardiac dilatioin eventually follows and subsequently heart failure. Chronic hypertension causes a shift in cerebral autoregulation. The shift results in a decrease in cerebral blood flow and cerebral ischaemia occur at higher blood pressures compared to normotensives. Treatment of hypertension significantly reduces the incidence of stroke and with long term therapy, the autoregulation curve normalizes. Chronic hypertension affects renal autoregulation in the same way as the brain. It causes glomerular sclerosis, abnormal distribution in blood flow and decreased glomerular filtration rate. In short, hypertension can cause: - stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic) - cardiovascular events - renal failure - peripheral vascular disease - atherosclerosis - retinopathy - ischaemic heart disease - heart failure - end stage renal disease Hope the info is useful to anyone who reads! =)
• Indonesia
28 Aug 08
Good info. i was to write that. But you went first.
• Australia
28 Aug 08
Glad that you found it was useful info....and sorry for taking your place in posting the info first! Anyway, that info was taken straight from my lecture notes for the lecture on hypertension; I am a Pharmacy student...
• Philippines
24 Apr 10
this topic was really used to my training..thankz guyz..