After the diagnosis of systemic hypertension, is risk factor management important?
In the hypertensive patient, the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors, particularly smoking, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and diabetes, greatly influences the prognosis. In many patients, these other risk factors are linked, perhaps by adverse effects of pressure on endothelial function. The newer antihypertensive agents may have better effects on prognosis by ameliorating these other risk factors, as well as lowering pressure. We await trials to see if this promise is fulfilled.
Sleight
P
P
University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom.
D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002784:Cholesterol