Raised blood pressure is the biggest cause of death and disability in the world. Treatment trials have uniformly demonstrated major reductions in cardiovascular disease (i.e., stroke, heart failure, and heart attack). Thus, the need for more effective management of hypertension is obvious, even in developed societies such as the USA and the UK, where even today fewer that one-third of hypertensive individuals are being adequately treated. As a result, many hundreds of people are dying, or suffering unnecessarily from strokes, heart failure, and heart attacks.

Since the last edition of Fast Facts: Hypertension 4 years ago, several very important clinical trials have been published, guidelines for the effective management of high blood pressure have been modified, and simplified treatment regimens have been introduced.

We hope that this new, up-to-date, and concise edition will prove useful in the better management of this very common and devastating medical condition.

Graham A. MacGregor, FAHA, FRCP
Norman M. Kaplan, MD

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