WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF HYPERTENSION?
High blood pressure has been associated with a variety of significant health risks, including an increased risk of heart disease. High blood pressure can make the arteries (blood vessels) stiffer and less elastic by causing structural damage in the artery walls. Hypertension can also accelerate the development of arteriosclerosis, the fatty deposits in the arteries which lead to heart disease. In turn, arteriosclerosis can increase blood pressure by increasing resistance in the arteries. When the heart has to pump against increased resistance, the wall of the left side of the heart can become thicker as more muscle grows. This is called left ventricular hypertrophy. It is a sensible response in the short term as it means the heart can pump harder. In the long term, however, it can cause serious problems. An enlarged heart eventually loses its ability to pump properly and can even fail completely. Hypertension and arteriosclerosis appear to interact although the exact nature of their re
