In most people, an underlying cause for hypertension can't be found. When the cause of hypertension is not known, it is called essential hypertension. When your blood pressure is high, you heart has to work harder just to pump a normal amount of blood to your body. The higher pressure in your arteries may cause them to weaken and bleed, resulting in a stroke. The higher artery pressure speeds up the process of atherosclerosis in which deposits of cholesterol, fatty substances, and blood cells clog up an artery.
Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart attacks.
It can also cause strokes. The added workload on the heart causes thickening of the heart muscle. Over time, the thickening damages the heart muscle so that it can no longer pump normally. This can lead to a condition called congestive heart failure. Other problems associated with prolonged hypertension are damage to your kidneys and your eyes.