Hypertensive heart disease refers to a group of disorders that includes heart failure, ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy (excessive thickening of the heart muscle).

What Is Heart Failure?

Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. Rather, it means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal or the heart has become less elastic. With heart failure, blood moves through the heart's pumping chambers less effectively, and pressure in the heart increases, robbing your body of oxygen and nutrients.

To compensate for reduced pumping power, the heart's chambers respond by stretching to hold more blood. This keeps the blood moving, but over time, the heart muscle walls weaken and are unable to pump as strongly. Read More.