Hypertension and coronary heart disease risk factor management

The primary goal in the treatment of essential hypertension is to reduce all end organ damage, not simply to reduce blood pressure. Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular, cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality. Pharmacologic therapy has reduced some, but not all, of these complications. To achieve maximal decrease in morbidity and mortality rates in hypertensive related diseases the overall impact of antihypertensive drug therapy on the pathogenesis of damage to each end organ must be considered.