Related Experiment Videos
Will better-tolerated antihypertensive agents improve blood pressure control? JNC VI revisited
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. hblack@rush.edu
Insights
Treating high blood pressure effectively is crucial, but many patients don't reach target levels. Physicians can achieve better blood pressure control by setting goals and using available therapies.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Despite proven benefits, hypertension treatment in America falls short of recommended targets.
- A significant gap exists between current hypertension management and optimal patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the effectiveness of goal-oriented therapy in managing hypertension.
- To outline strategies for overcoming barriers to achieving target blood pressure levels.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent clinical trials on hypertension management.
- Analysis of barriers to achieving blood pressure goals in clinical practice.
Main Results:
- Physician-set goals can lead to regular blood pressure reduction with standard therapy.
- Well-tolerated medications, patient adherence, and specialist consultation improve outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Aggressively managing hypertension is vital, necessitating effective use of available therapeutic tools.
- Clinicians must understand and utilize modern, well-tolerated agents and strategies to optimize patient care.
Abstract:
Although we have incontrovertible evidence for the benefits of treating hypertension, only a minority of Americans with this disorder have blood pressure readings at the levels currently recommended by the Sixth Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Recent trials have shown that if physicians set a goal, they can regularly reduce blood pressure to suggested levels using standard therapy. The barriers to reaching that goal in practice can be overcome if well-tolerated agents are used, if the importance of adherence to the regimen is emphasized and effectively conveyed, and if practitioners utilize the services of hypertension specialists should a goal not be reached. The availability of newer agents that are virtually free of side effects and the clear understanding of the value of aggressively managing hypertension make it imperative that all clinicians understand how to most effectively use the many tools available.