Hypertension: Initial Evaluation

Points to Remember

• About two-thirds of individuals older than 60 years have hypertension.
• Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiac disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
• Secondary causes of hypertension should be considered in patients with onset of hypertension at the extremes of age, in patients with sudden onset of hypertension, and when blood pressure responds poorly to drug therapy.
• A history of snoring (with or without daytime somnolence) raises the possibility of obstructive sleep apnea, a recently recognized, potentially correctable cause of hypertension.
• Short article written in clinical update.