Principles for the selection of antihypertensive drugs

Abstract

Arterial hypertension (AH) and its complications are very common today and associated with a high risk of disability and death, especially among the working age population (cerebral stroke, myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, end-stage kidney failure, cardiac arrhythmias, etc.). At the same time, the effectiveness of blood pressure control in hypertensive patients remains unacceptably low for various reasons. The article attempts to streamline administration of antihypertensive drugs on the basis of an algorithm, including adequate monitoring of the current antihypertensive therapy. The article draws on recent 2013 ESC/ESH guidelines, as well as the American JNC-8 guidelines of December 2013, for the treatment of hypertension (JAMA-2014, December, published online). The paper presents an original algorithm for the selection of antihypertensive therapy, including methods and timing for assessing both the effectiveness and safety of antihypertensive therapy.