Vascular compression at the region of the rostral ventrolateral medulla oblongata was reported as a possible cause of hypertension. Seventy-one patients with severe essential hypertension and 51 control subjects were examined by magnetic resonance imaging.
Since no significant differences were found in the prevalence of neurovascular compressions among the groups, vascular compressions at the examined area seem to be a non-specific finding unrelated to hypertension.