Pathophysiology of essential hypertension. Role of the autonomic nervous system

Abstract

The participation of the autonomic nervous system in hypertension is not restricted to increased cardiac action and peripheral vasoconstriction during periods of stress. The three major systems that are particularly involved in hypertension, the heart, brain, and kidneys, are interrelated in a multifaceted way by which all of them inform, interfere, and influence one another. The autonomic nervous system will play an important role in most types of hypertension whether these are volume-dependent, cardiogenically mediated, or related to stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system.