[Antihypertensive therapy: who should be treated and to which target?].

There is no doubt today that hypertensive therapy is effective in preventing cardiovascular complications. Having blood pressures 140/190 mmHg repeatedly at the doctor's office is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk and requires drug treatment if non-pharmacological measures do not allow blood pressure normalization. Antihypertensive therapy might already be required in patients exhibiting simultaneously blood pressure > or = 130/180 mmHg and diabetes and/or renal disease.