Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases: General recommendations - Hypertension

Atherosclerosis is one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The recent decades have witnessed great advances both in the identification of risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis and the treatment of its complications. This effort was rewarded with the reduction of mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases. The need for an update of the recommendations for the prevention of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases stems from a large body of recently published trials, leading to fundamental changes in the way we treat patients with various levels of risk. The first part of the guidelines deals with general recommendations, applicable to the population as a whole, at all levels of risk, together with recommendations for the treatment of hypertension.