Retinal damage with severe hypertension with microaneurysms (black circle) and hard exudates (white arrowheads).
Signs of hypertensive retinopathy that occur with increasingly severe hypertension:
▪ Retinal vessels become narrow and straighten ▪ Microaneurysms result from the increased intravascular pressure. ▪ Cotton wool patches, retinal hemorrhages, or hard exudates resulting leakage of plasma proteins and blood products. ▪ Arteriovenous "nicking" occurs when the arteriolar wall enlarges from arteriosclerosis, compressing the vein. ▪ Optic nerve swelling or papilledema can occur at very high blood pressures
Photo and explanation courtesy of: The Color Atlas of Family Medicine.
Retinal damage with severe hypertension with microaneurysms (black circle) and hard exudates (white arrowheads).
ReplyDeleteSigns of hypertensive retinopathy that occur with increasingly severe hypertension:
▪ Retinal vessels become narrow and straighten
▪ Microaneurysms result from the increased intravascular pressure.
▪ Cotton wool patches, retinal hemorrhages, or hard exudates resulting leakage of plasma proteins and blood products.
▪ Arteriovenous "nicking" occurs when the arteriolar wall enlarges from arteriosclerosis, compressing the vein.
▪ Optic nerve swelling or papilledema can occur at very high blood pressures
Photo and explanation courtesy of: The Color Atlas of Family Medicine.