[Arterial hypertension--multicirculus vitiosus vasorum].

AIM: The aim of this review is to address documents and a number of studies on hypertension published in the last years in order to assess their contribution to our expanding knowledge of arterial hypertension.

DISCUSSION: Arterial hypertension is not defined by symptoms and signs but by numbers of blood pressure values. Arterial hypertension is vascular disease (vascular risk factor) of many vascular diseases (atherosclerosis; arteriolosclerosis/arteriolonecrosis/arteriolocalcinosis; arterial thrombosis; arterial embolism; arterial thromboembolism; arterial dissection; complicated arterial aneurysm) and other.

CONCLUSION

Arterial hypertension is cause and consequence of functional (endothelial dysfunction) and of structural organovascular injury (multiorganomultivascular disease). Blood vessels are culprits, implements and victims of arterial hypertension and of organovascular arterial diseases.