Peer Reviewed
Feature Article Cardiovascular medicine

Management of hypertension

Karen A Duggan
Abstract

Most patients with hypertension do not attain target blood pressures. Addressing the impediments to the effective management of hypertension will have major implications in the prevention of cardiovascular and renal adverse events.

Key Points
    • The prevalence of hypertension appears to be increasing; however, the therapeutic gap remains unchanged, with most patients with hypertension not attaining target blood pressure.
    • Therapeutic inertia appears to be one of the main contributors to the low rates of attainment of target blood pressure.
    • Strategies such as mentoring programs that have been demonstrated to address therapeutic inertia need to be more widely implemented.
    • Improved management of hypertension has major implications for the prevention of major cardiovascular and renal adverse events.
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