title: Guidelines for treating hypertension: improved care or retarded progress?
abstract: A number of national and international bodies have published guidelines for the management of hypertension. Although there is general agreement on certain aspects of treatment, there are also significant differences (for instance, in the threshold blood pressure for drug treatment, the target blood pressure, and selection of drugs for initial monotherapy). Apparent consensus has been reached despite absence of definitive evidence and despite overlapping membership of some groups responsible for the guidelines. The composition of guidelines for nonexperts is a valuable exercise but its limitations and potential dangers should be clearly defined.
authors: Department of Medicine, Leicester University, England.
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Swales
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic