REPRINT Treatment of Hypertension in the Prevention and Management of Ischemic Heart Disease

E pidemiological studies have established a strong associ- ation between hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD). Hypertension is a major independent risk factor for the development of CAD, stroke, and renal failure. The optimal choice of antihypertensive agents remains controversial, and there are only partial answers to important questions in the treatment of hypertension in the prevention and management of ischemic heart disease (IHD), such as: This scientific statement summarizes the published data relating to the treatment of hypertension in the context of CAD prevention and management and attempts, on the basis of the best available evidence, to develop recommendations that will be appropriate for both BP reduction and the management of CAD in its various manifestations. Where data are meager or lacking, the writing group has proposed consensus recommendations, with all of the reservations that that term implies and with the hope that large gaps in our knowledge base will be filled in the near future by data from well-designed prospective clinical trials.