Arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease and foreplasma

Arterial hypertension is an independent cardiovascular risk factor for the development of vascular stenoses in the cerebral, peripheral and coronary flow paths. In the heart, an increase in pressure in the left ventricle and atria frequently causes left-ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation of the left atrium. The size of the left atrium, potentially frequent blood pressure peaks and increasing fibrosis predispose patients to atrial fibrillation. At the vascular level, arterial hypertension favors the development of atherosclerosis of the epicardial vessels with coronary stenoses (coronary artery disease) and of the coronary micro-flow path via a media thickening (endothelial dysfunction). Diastolic and systolic heart insufficiency, as well as atrial size and wall thickness, can all be diagnosed using echocardiography. Echocardiography should be performed on first diagnosis of arterial hypertension and at regular intervals thereafter. Adequate blood pressure adjustment can improve endothelial dysfunction, in some cases even stop it. In the long term, with specific treatment of additional risk factors, it can help to stop or delay the development of coronary and hypertensive heart disease, as well as to reduce atrial fibrillation.