[Individualized tailoring of antihypertensive therapy]

Despite the publication of guidelines for the management of hypertension, there is still uncertainty among physicians regarding the right antihypertensive drug selection into the right patient. Though there have been great advances in investigating hypertension, there is only a little knowledge of the mechanisms and genetic backgrounds of 'essential hypertension'. Nationwide investigations, such as association studies dealing with a large number of patients and linkage studies using hypertensive pedigrees, are necessary to correct knowledge of individual genetic backgrounds, which influence the response to antihypertensive drug therapy. Progress toward tailoring treatment for essential hypertension and individualizing target genetic background has just started. Guidelines for the management of hypertension including the consideration of individual genetic background will be published in future days.