Click here to view next page of this article



New Treatments for Hypertension

 

Hypertension is the chronic disease accounting for the largest number of physician office visits.

25-30% of the U. S. adult population

More prevalent in men than women.

African-Americans:

Higher overall prevalence of HTN.

Higher HTN associated morbidity.

More likely to develop HTN at younger age.

Higher proportion of hypertensives with Stage III-IV HTN (12% vs 6% in white hypertensives).

Morbidity of Hypertension

End stage renal disease

Coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction

Stroke

Relative risk of stroke and CAD at various diastolic bp levels in untreated patients:

Usual Diastolic

Blood Pressure

Relative Risk

Of Cad

  Relative Risk of Stroke  
  Lancet * MRFIT** Lancet MRFIT
76 0.5 0.67 0.3 0.51
84 0.7 0.80 0.5 0.74
91 1.0 1.00 1.0 1.00
98 1.5 1.16 1.8 1.46
99-105 2.0 1.68 3.5 2.25