Hypertension and Arteriopathy

peer reviewedHigh blood pressure as other factors of atherosclerosis is a well-known risk factor for development of peripheral arterial disease. A patient characterized by an isolated systolic hypertension and a low ankle/arm systolic blood pressure ratio very often presents coronary heart disease. Practising exercise (such as walking), stoping smoking and following an adapted diet are recommended. Hypertension treatment must be considered as a secondary prevention approach with a blood pressure normalisation as a target. All the different classes of antihypertensive drugs can be used, but with a marked preference for angiotensin converting enzyme (with caution for the renal artery stenosis risk) and for betablockers to improve the potential coronary heart disease (care is needed in the presence of severe peripheral arterial disease)