Cardiac target organ damage in hypertension: insights from epidemiology.

Hypertension is an important risk factor implicated in the development of multiple common cardiac conditions, including coronary atherosclerosis, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Epidemiologic studies have provided insights into the shared pathogenesis of hypertension and subclinical as well as clinically evident cardiac diseases. The mechanistic common ground between chronic blood pressure elevation and cardiac disease likely begins early in life. Understanding these connections will aid ongoing efforts to identify individuals at risk, develop targeted therapeutics, and improve overall outcomes for individuals with elevated blood pressure in the population at large.