HYPERTENSION AND THE HEART

The heart is of great importance in systemic hypertension; it has a ro le in its pathogenesis but also suffers its consequences. Heart diseas e is, therefore, often found in hypertensive patients. Patients with h ypertension may develop left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiac failure and atherosclerotic vascular problems, such as coronary artery disease , as well as strokes and peripheral vascular disease. There have been a great many advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of hype rtensive heart disease as well as its epidemiology over the last decad e and these are reviewed briefly here.