Hypertension: mechanism and approach to target organ protection

Hypertension is a common condition characterized by abnormally high blood pressure levels. The mechanism underlying hypertension involves an increase in peripheral vascular resistance and/or an increase in cardiac output. Several factors can contribute to the development of hypertension, including...

• Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, crucial for maintaining blood circulation throughout the body. It's primarily determined by two key factors: cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute) and peripheral vascular resistance (the resistance to blood flow in the arteries). Several mechanisms regulate these factors, including the sympathetic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, endothelial function, and vasoactive substances.