High blood pressure is a common chronic medical problem encountered in primary care, yet it is commonly under diagnosed. ABC of Hypertension is a long established, practical guide to the investigation, treatment and management of hypertensive patients. This sixth edition:

* Provides practical guidance on measurement of blood pressure and the investigation and management of hypertensive patients

* Explains new developments in measurement and automated measurement of blood pressure and

* Updates coverage on treatment of the elderly and explains of the implications of recent trials

* Incorporates current British Hypertension Society and NICE guidelines

D Gareth Beevers, Professor of Medicine, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK.

Gregory YH Lip, Professor of Haemostasis Thrombosis and Vascular Sciences, University of Aston, Birmingham, UK.

Eoin O'Brien, Professor of Molecular Pharmacology, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College, Dublin, Ireland.

Preface vi

1 The prevalence and causes of hypertension 1

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

2 Hypertension and vascular risk 10

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

3 Pathophysiology of hypertension 20

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

4 Blood pressure measurement, 27

Eoin O'Brien

Part 1: Factors influencing all techniques of blood pressure
measurement, 27

Part 2: Conventional blood pressure measurement, 33

Part 3: Ambulatory blood pressure measurement, 38

Part 4: Self-blood pressure measurement, 43

5 Screening and management in primary care, 47

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

6 Clinical assessment of patients with hypertension, 53

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

7 Investigation in patients with hypertension, 57

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

8 Non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension, 63

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

9 The pharmacological treatment of hypertension and endovascular
renal sympathetic denervation, 68

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

10 Hypertension in patients with cardiovascular disease,
81

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

11 Special groups; diabetes mellitus, renal disease, renal
artery stenosis and connective tissue diseases, 87

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

12 Ethnicity, age and hypertension, 93

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

13 Hypertension, pregnancy and the oral contraceptives,
98

Gregory Y H Lip, D Gareth Beevers

Index, 108