Essential hypertension: the heart and hypertension

The effect of hypertension on the heart and therefore prognosis is highly variable and depends not only on the pressure level but also on other factors including age, sex, cholesterol, and smoking. High blood pressure can severely damage the heart, reducing the quality of life as well as longevity. Significant protection is offered to the heart by good control of blood pressure and other risk factors. The higher the risk the greater the absolute benefit the patient can expect. Doctors should not exaggerate the risks of pressure elevation to the individual patient and thereby over claim the benefit likely to accrue from treatment; however good the treatment, it cannot be expected to more than compensate for the associated risk. Understanding of these concepts by both patients and physicians should lead to improved care and protection of the heart through the early detection and rigorous control of high blood pressure.