Treatment strategy to control blood pressure optimally in hypertensive patients

Abstract

Pharmacological treatment of hypertension significantly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, only a fraction of hypertensive patients benefit maximally from the protection afforded by the blood pressure lowering, mainly because the blood pressure control achieved during antihypertensive therapy remains often insufficient. One way to improve this situation is to individualize the treatment in determining for each patient the most simple drug regimen, which is at the same time efficacious and well tolerated. To this end, combining small doses of drugs acting by different mechanisms is often required. It is also essential that physicians develop skills to motivate their patients to comply lifelong with the treatment.