The treatment of hypertension: new lamps for old?

Abstract

Meta-analysis of clinical trials does not help the clinician to treat individual patients. A general conclusion that the reduction of high blood pressure is beneficial has to be matched by specific information about the level of blood pressure that is acceptable and about the effect of particular doses of specific drugs. Results obtained from trials of "old-fashioned" antihypertensive drugs cannot confidently be extrapolated to "modern" agents. Sufficient data do not exist to encourage universal drug treatment for patients with "mild" hypertension.