What is the relationship between atherosclerosis and high blood pressure?

Well the arteries loose elasticity and become thicker. That means that the blood has to pump at a harder level in order to meet the needs of the tissue it is trying to get oxygen to. In order to. The smaller the opening for the blood to get through the more pressure builds up. This will increase your blood pressure. Then you have to worry about the patients renal function and how it is effecting the renal arteries. It can cause and lead to some serious issues. In short the small a tube is the more pressure it will take to push the fluid into it. So your blood pressure goes up to compensate for the loss of elasticity and the thickening of the arteries.