Hypertension

Hypertension is a major, worldwide health problem owing to its high prevalence and association with increased morbidity and mortality. Hypertension is a key risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease; approximately 7.1 million deaths per year can be directly attributed to poor control of blood pressure. An estimated 31% of the adult US population are hypertensive and an equivalent percentage suffers from prehypertension; evidence shows that individuals with prehypertension are at particular risk of developing overt hypertension.

Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension have had a major impact on management of this chronic disease.