[Some reflections and findings of a Hypertension [corrected] Unit in Spain]

The Hypertension Unit, University Hospital San Cecilio of Granada, on fulfilling 15 years and after the experience acquired in this extended period, wants to stress various "facts": 1) the importance of correctly measuring blood pressure, avoiding rounding off "numbers" and making three consecutive measurements, taking the mean value of the last two; 2) carefully using the concept of "white coat" hypertension; the continuous follow-up of these cases and the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring reveal that they are really hypertensive; 3) using those values less than 130/85 mmHg as normality values; 4) the high rate of risk factors (obesity, diabetes, hyperuricemia, smoking, etc.) accompanying recently diagnosed hypertension; and 5) the need to give an intensive treatment in many cases (high doses, greater number of drugs, etc.). The experience of more than fifteen years and thousands of patients seen support the ideas included herein.