Why does high blood pressure increase my risk for coronary heart disease?

Artery hardening.: The arterial walls start to thicken and harden in response to elevated blood pressures. This is part of the process that leads to atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. High blood pressure is considered one of the primary risk factors for coronary heart disease. Blood pressure is the force. Years of high blood pressure can damage your arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.

Working too hard: If your heart is pumping harder, like any muscle, it will get bigger. We tend to think that big muscles are good, but this is not necessarily so with the heart. As the heart muscle gets bigger, the demand for oxygen increases. The coronary arteries which supply the heart are likely already harboring some plaque and have narrowing. Essentially, the arteries cannot meet the demand of the heart.