Drug treatment of hypertension.
Over the last 40 years effective drug treatment of hypertension has become available. Newer classes of drugs offer efficacy with simplicity of dosing regimen and good patient acceptability. However, there is increasing interest in the long-term benefits of treatment, particularly influences on total mortality and morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease and its complications. Established treatments with diuretics and beta blockers do reduce stroke risk but have less than predicted effects on coronary heart disease. While there is experimental evidence and clinical pointers that ACE inhibitors and calcium antagonists may influence atherosclerosis in the long-term, there is as yet no objective clinical confirmation. The aim of treatment in the 1990s is to control blood pressure (and other risk factors) in the short-term with a view to improving long-term outcome. Many clinicians have modified step-care approaches to individualize drug treatment using one or two agents, selected from older and newer classes, which on clinical grounds are most appropriate in the individual patient. Factors determining choice are race, other risk factors and associated diseases.
Reid
J L
JL
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents