High blood pressure is a prominent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Elevated blood pressure damage the lining of arteries, creating a site at which atherosclerotic plaque forms.
Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries characterized by fatty deposits on the inner lining.
Atherosclerosis increases the risk of heart attack. Research indicates that patients with high blood pressure have a seven fold increase in the risk of stroke.
If the arteries are damaged especially due to high blood pressure the inner surface of the walls can start to deteriorate.
To compensate, the artery grows new tissues that may create tiny bumps or scars. Cholesterol, white blood cells, and other deposits can begin to accumulate within these bumps.
It forces the heart to work harder and blood is pushed through the arteries with a greater force and adds the damage of the artery lining.
It also contributes to atherosclerosis. When atherosclerosis develops, it affects not only the coronary arteries but also all the other arteries. When the arteries in the brain become seriously narrowed, the result is a stroke.
Hardening of the arteries in the heart leads to heart failure and most likely detach, A hardening of the blood vessels supplying the kidneys leads to kidney failure, as well as all other illness related to non-functioning kidneys.
High blood pressure and atherosclerosis
