Pharmacy Clinical Pearl of the Day: Hypertension Treatment Guidelines

Per the new hypertension guidelines, the following are the first-line treatment options for patients with this condition.

• Thiazide diuretics
• Calcium channel blockers
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
• Angiotensin receptor blockers

Explanation:

Each of the above classifications of the antihypertensive drug therapies is almost equally effective in lowering the blood pressure

Some patients respond to one drug better than the other

The 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association statement on hypertension concluded that reducing blood pressure is the major determinant of reduction in cardiovascular risk in both young and older patients with hypertension.

Reference: Choice of drug therapy in primary (essential) hypertension - UpToDate