Diagnosis and management of resistant hypertension

High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease,1 2 which is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.3 Recent surveys from developed countries suggest that the prevalence of hypertension ranges from 20-30%, with 51-80% receiving treatment but only 27-66% with adequate blood pressure control.4 One subset of uncontrolled hypertensives who do not respond to treatment are known as resistant hypertensives. This article will describe how resistant hypertension is defined, its prevalence and prognosis, methods to diagnose it effectively in routine practice and strategies to effectively manage patients diagnosed with the condition