eye disorders
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Pathophysiology of Hypertensive Retinopathy
Acute blood pressure elevation typically causes reversible vasoconstriction in retinal blood vessels, and hypertensive crisis may cause optic disk edema. More prolonged or severe hypertension leads to exudative vascular changes, a consequence of endothelial damage and necrosis. Other changes (eg, arteriole wall thickening, arteriovenous nicking) typically require years of elevated blood pressure to develop. Smoking compounds the adverse effects of hypertensive retinopathy. Hypertension is a major risk factor for other retinal disorders (eg, 