Description

Hypertension is a serious and common condition, the prevalence of which is set to rise given the increase in the ageing population, sedentary lifestyles and obesity. This article reviews the management of primary hypertension in adults, with reference to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Diagnosis using clinic, ambulatory and home blood pressure (BP) monitoring, risk factors , BP targets, lifestyle advice, drug treatment and patient education are also discussed.