[Hemodynamics of arterial hypertension]

Arterial blood pressure depends on the flow rate and peripheral resistances. Arterial blood pressure is regulated in arterial hypertension (AHT) in a very similar fashion as in normotensive subjects, but the peripheral vessels do not respond properly to increases in the cardiac output. The adrenergic nervous system plays a basic part in the mechanisms which provoke and regulate the AHT. The AHT usually begins with an increase in adrenergic tone and cardiac output: hyperkinetic hypertension. It later develops into an intermediate, normokinetic situation with latent left ventricular malfunction and finally augmented peripheral resistances which will become of organic character in time due to autoregulatory mechanisms.