title: [Initial combination treatment of hypertension].
abstract: Today, European professional associations favor initial treatment of hypertension with low-dose monotherapy or combination treatment. The aim of combination treatment is to reduce side effects through the application of subtherapeutic doses. In the meantime, American experts have abandoned the use of the term low-dose. For certain patients, for example, those with severe hypertension or with a high associated cardiovascular risk, combination treatment with hypertensive agents employing normal doses of the individual substances is now approved in the USA for first-line treatment. The advantages are assumed to be rapid lowering of the blood pressure and improved patient compliance.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Universitäts-Poliklinik Bonn. duesing@uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Düsing
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005060:Europe; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents