ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Antihypertensive treatment is associated with a reduction in hypertension-related cardiovascular complications such as stroke, coronary disease, heart failure, and renal insufficiency (1). Evidence is also available that (i) these beneficial effects can be obtained regardless of the drug or drug combinations employed (2,3) which indicates that blood pressure lowering per se is substantially responsible and (ii) a close relationship exists between the magnitude of the blood pressure reduction induced by treatment and the cardiovascular protective effect (4). There is, therefore, no question that blood pressure must be reduced in individuals with a blood pressure elevation, a recommendation made by all international guidelines (1,5,6).
