Can the effectiveness of hypertension management be improved?

Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Lowering blood pressure (BP) reduces cardiovascular risk; yet despite the availability of numerous antihypertensives, the proportion of patients achieving BP control remains low. Treatment guidelines are based on evidence from clinical trials, however this evidence may not be representative of real-world treatment effectiveness. Many studies evaluating antihypertensives continue to rely on office BP measurements that provide a less realistic evaluation of hypertension status than ambulatory measures. New studies are needed with greater consideration on evaluating efficacy for translation into clinical effectiveness. In addition, novel therapies for reducing BP and with a greater capacity to improve BP control are still required. This article discusses some of the challenges of hypertension management and reviews strategies and treatment advances that may pave the way to more effective BP control.