Do we effectively lower blood pressure?

Blood pressure control is needed in order to attain a normalization of the increased cardiovascular risk present in the hypertensive population. However, we are far from obtaining the most effective control of blood pressure. A more aggressive attitude, in particular in high-risk patients, is required, together with an adequate selection of antihypertensive pharmacological therapies. In this sense combined therapy has to be more widely used in patients presenting with the characteristics detailed in the newly published mega-trials like the Hypertension Optimal Treatment study. An adequate selection of the components of combination could also be of interest through a better protective capacity mediated by blood pressure-independent effects.