[Improvement of drug therapy for essential hypertension]

Only 20-30% out of all the patients suffering from hypertension have sufficient treatment. In spite of full treatment a small part of the patients (about 5%) shows an insatisfactory result. Subjective factors are more important: on the part of physicians doubtfulness about choice of medicaments and imperfect consistency to long-term treatment, on the part of patients inadequate co-operation. The use of 9 selected antihypertensive medicaments is suggested in a decided order under rational aspects (mode of action, side effects, expense for controls, cost). In 1975-1978 development of consumption of antihypertensives and diuretics in the district of Leipzig corresponded to this conception. The respective medicaments placed at disposal in the district of Leipzig were sufficient to treatment of 30% out of all persons suffering from hypertension in 1975 and of 40% in 1978.