Abstract

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of hypertension has increased over the past few years. We are now in a much better position to help patients with this condition, not only by judiciously selecting medications to prescribe, but also by recommending changes in lifestyle. On the other hand, there is now such a plethora of effective medications available for the management of hypertension that clinicians need to be aware of the often subtle differences in the profile of these various medications. Furthermore, although the selection of one group of medications versus another is usually grounded in scientific evidence, often the selection of individual medications within a certain class is more an art than a science. Finally, a number of guidelines and recommendations are available to best manage patients with hypertension.