Preface

Hypertension has become a major public health problem and highly prevalent in the last decades in worldwide. High blood pressure is a serious risk factor for not only premature cardiovascular disease but also for end-organ damage, including left ventricular hypertrophy and congestive heart failure, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Also, peripheral arterial disease, aortic aneurysms, kidney disease and vascular dementia emerges with persistent high blood pressure as potentially life-threatening conditions. Studies of hypertension  have been performed in a variety of epidemiological settings such as diabetes, renal function, obesity, thyroid disorders. Novel treatment strategies should also be clarified comprising traditional medicine, drug interactions involving psychopharmacological agents, diuretics etc. correlated with molecular genetics. Effective treatment targets are changing and debated. Biochemical testing serves to identify hypertensive individuals who are at higher risk based on co-morbidities such as dysglycaemia, dyslipidaemia or renal impairment and supports risk stratification of patients facilitating tailored management and treatment. With this book we aim to evaluate hypertension in all aspects; in practice, in prescribing, in setting up a treatment program and in guiding patients clarifying the basic molecular and biochemical mechanisms with a considerable amount of new information providing enough pathophysiology to permit clinical judgment presented in a manner enabling the readers to grasp its significance. We believe that this textbook will provide grounding pointing the way to new disciplines that will contribute to the evolution of strategies for creating, analyzing and presenting medical information in the future stimulating our colleagues at all multidisciplinary levels.