Trends in Arteriosclerosis in Treated and Untreated Hypertensive Patients

The development of arteriosclerosis among hypertensive patients largely occurs in two major vascular beds, the cerebral and coronary arteries. Several pathways for the development of arteriosclerotic complications in the cerebral arteries have been discussed [5]. Hypertension will lead to an increase of the predisposition of major intracranial arteries to arteriosclerosis; hypertension may also be involved with smaller intracerebral vessels. Miliary aneurysms of the small penetrating cerebral arteries have been described as being a direct consequence of hypertension. In addition, small arteries (in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and pons) may show macrophages and fibrin in the intima.