title: Novel therapeutic strategies in the management of arterial hypertension.
abstract: Essential hypertension is a disease with a major impact on health worldwide, thus control of blood pressure seems to be a key component of cardiovascular disease prevention. Despite considerable advances in the treatment of hypertension, effective management remains poor and new strategies to control high blood pressure and cardiovascular risk reduction are required. These seem to be divided into two major categories: those seeking to advance blood pressure-lowering efficacy of already existing agents, and others related to novel approaches, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Moreover, numerous clinical trials have evaluated the use of nutritional supplements in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and in achievement of optimal blood pressure control. Additionally, the advent of interventional techniques, such as carotid baroreceptor stimulation and renal ablation of sympathetic nerve activity, seems to be proved effective in cases where medical management and lifestyle modifications are insufficient. Genetic technology, which has advanced tremendously over the past few years, could assist novel treatment options in hypertensive patients, such as RNA interference targeting hypertension-related genes. However, continued efforts must progress in these areas and the effects of therapeutic strategies in hypertensive patients need to be further explored in larger trials over a longer period of time.
authors.affiliation: 1st Cardiology Unit, Hippokration Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece. drtousoulis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Androulakis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors