Topic overview

Start with the big picture

The lesson organizes hypertension care from diagnosis through follow-up. It compares the ACC/AHA and ESC blood-pressure definitions and highlights measurement practices, including confirmation outside the clinic. Treatment thresholds and targets are considered alongside first-line drug classes and clinical factors that influence selection. Drug-specific sections address thiazides, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, calcium channel blockers, and beta-blockers, including key cautions. The topic also distinguishes resistant hypertension from hypertensive urgency and emergency, and reviews lifestyle measures and monitoring. Together, these themes provide a framework for understanding why therapy is individualized rather than selected by blood-pressure readings alone.