Hypertension is one of the commonest disease states encountered in medical practice. It is one of the simplest to diagnose and to treat if one follows certain guidelines which are discussed above. The reduction in morbidity and mortality obtained by target based treatment would be most gratifying.
Precautions have to be taken for accurately recording the blood pressure. High BP affects many organs and principally the heart, kidneys and brain. Target organ damage has to be assessed. Some types of hypertension call for emergency treatment. Life style changes are important. Often a combination of drugs from different groups is necessary for optimal control. The choice of drugs is guided by co-existing morbid conditions, age, availability and other inter related factors.