title: Hypertension as a risk factor for heart failure.
abstract: Hypertension remains a significant risk factor for development of congestive heart failure CHF), with various mechanisms contributing to both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. The pathogenesis of myocardial changes includes structural remodeling, left ventricular hypertrophy, and fibrosis. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system and renin-angiotensin system is a key contributing factor of hypertension, and thus interventions that antagonize these systems promote regression of hypertrophy and heart failure. Control of blood pressure is of paramount importance in improving the prognosis of patients with heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiology, Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA, akannan@deptofmed.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kannan
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Janardhanan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology