Here are the facts again, explained to the best of my knowledge :-
1.Atherosclerosis is a focal accumulation of fat with chronic inflammation and scarring in arteries down to 2 mm in diameter. It causes arterial narrowing and ischaemia ( insufficient blood supply ). Thrombosis ( "clotting " ) of narrowed segments causes infarction ( localised tissue death - such as heart attacks, and brain = stroke ). Blood pressure does not rise to force the blood through. If this happened it could cause heart failure ( the heart being a pump ).
2. Risk factors for causing atherosclerosis include hypertension.
3. Hypertension is raised pressure in any vascular bed, and is usually " systemic " arterial hypertension ( involving arteries to limbs and organs ). We don't know its cause in most cases. Despite this, it's possible to reduce pressure to desirable levels. If one cause was found and treatment was cheap, complications ( such as heart failure, cerebral haemorrhage, eye and kidney disease ) could be further reduced or avoided in millions of hypertensives world-wide. Where the cause IS known this is usually kidney disease as a result of atherosclerosis involving its main artery ( releasing hormones which raise blood pressure ). There are other rarer causes. It's important to recognise them as they may be treatable surgically.
4. We do know lifestyle factors which may contribute to hypertension. Modification of these may lower blood pressure sufficiently to avoid drug treatment. If drugs are needed, the various types available work in different ways. A single antihypertensive is often not adequate and others are usually added in a step-wise manner until control is achieved.
