Treatment of Essential and Malignant Hypertension

The problem of etiology of essential and malignant hypertension remains all important because the day must come when treatment will be meshed with it, rather than follow the current practice of treating hypertension of different causes with the same remedy. Knowledge of etiology is, however, in a state of flux, as can be appreciated from recent reviews.¹Much of what I shall say about treatment probably will be ephemeral, though it now represents the views of my associates, Drs. A. C. Corcoran and R. D. Taylor, as well as my own. SEDATIVES AND PROPYLTHIOURACIL Drugs such as phenobarbital or mixtures of chloral hydrate and potassium bromide are probably the most useful means of promoting daytime relaxation without too much sleepiness. We do not use sedatives as a routine although in some unusually tense patients their effect is gratifying. Excessively irritable, anxious, and difficult patients are several complaints ahead of