Is the damage to the organs caused by hypertension offset by a slower heartbeat? -

As far as I understand, hypertension is dangerous primarily because of the slow damage to the organs which have to sustain the elevated pressure. But would this damage be smaller if the normal heartbeat was slower than the average? For example, pressure of 140/90 with the heartbeat of 50 would be less dangerous than pressure of 140/90 with the heartbeat of 70? Right?

When heart rate is low, systolic pressure rises as a compensatory mechanism. Diastolic pressure comes down when diastole is prolonged as in slow heart rate. The mean arterial pressure may remain almost same due to these changes. The product of systolic pressure into heart rate is known as double product. The workload of the heart depends on the double product. So a person with reduced blood supply to the heart producing angina pectoris will fare better with a lower heart rate for the same systolic pressure as the workload of his heart will be lower. This done therapeutically by giving beta receptor blocking drugs to reduce the heart rate in persons with angina pectoris. But these drugs also lower the systolic pressure, further lowering the work load.

Interesting theory, but I don t think it holds water. If you have a garden hose out in the sun with the sprayer turned off tight, then turn the water on, then off. The pressue is the problem. It is in there and you can t release it. If you turn the water on and of 90 times or 60 times per minute, I think the damage to the hose will be the same, it s the pressure not the number of times you turn the water on and off. Besides the diastolic pressure remains even when the heart is at rest. This pressure is the big probelm since it is always there on the organs regardless how many times the heart beats.