[Hypertension 2007-2008]

Abstract

Hypertension still represents a leading cause of mortality worldwide and a main modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal diseases. Therefore, guideline writing groups have proposed new recommendations regarding diagnosis and treatment. Nevertheless, a series of large-scale clinical trials have been published thereafter. Their results, namely the risk associated with the combination of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), the benefits of an initial therapy with a fixed-dose combination of calcium channel blocker and ACE inhibitor, the effectiveness of blood pressure reduction in patients > 80 years, and the introduction of oral renin inhibitors in the market will enormously impact clinical practice.