Hypertensive Heart Disease

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure.  So Hypertensive Heart Disease is heart disease that occurs due to high blood pressure that occurs when it has been uncontrolled or has been too high for a long time.

As I mentioned in my last post, high blood pressure results from more resistance in the blood vessels due to constriction or narrowing of the arteries.  When this happens, the heart has to work harder to overcome the resistance to get the blood flow around the body.  This can lead to the left ventricle of the heart becoming bigger over time.  The heart also cannot pump the same supply of blood around the body.

As a result of the changes in the blood vessels in the heart and the body, as well as changes to the structure and effectiveness of the heart, people with high blood pressure are at increased risk of  ischemic heart disease (occurs when the heart does not get enough oxygen because its left ventricle has become thickened),  and congestive heart failure (occurs due to decreased ability of the heart to pump blood out).  High blood pressure also accelerates atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in the blood vessels), which also increases the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

Here is a good short video that sums up hypertensive heart disease very nicely: