ASHP therapeutic position statement of optimizing treatment of hypertension

The JNC-VI report provides solid recommendations for optimizing the treatment of hypertension. Suggestions for when to initiate lifestyle modifications and drug therapy on the basis of risk stratification are major improvements in the current report. Although diuretics and beta-blockers are still considered the preferred agents for all patients with uncomplicated hypertension, individualization of therapy when there are complications or coexisting conditions is strongly encouraged. If blood pressure control rates are to improve in the United States, aggressive approaches to the prevention, identification, management, and tracking of patients and populations with hypertension will be required. Pharmacists will be critical in these efforts to improve blood pressure control and will often need to collaborate with physicians in providing drug therapy management. All pharmacists who help manage patients with hypertension should be familiar with the entire JNC-VI report.

Published by American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 2000. The guideline itself is at the source linked here.

doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/57.2.162