Assessment of the patient's response.

Assessment of a patient's response to antihypertensive therapy consists of the evaluation of the therapeutic effect in relationship to adverse effects and possible improvement in well-being. The therapeutic effect can be assessed at various levels of aim, such as: (1) a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, (2) a normalization of hypertension-induced cardiovascular hypertrophy or renal damage or (3) simply a fall in blood pressure. Adverse effects must also be assessed with various degrees of ambition and, although studies during the initial phases of drug evaluation are of primary importance, there is also the need for chronic surveillance during routine clinical therapy. Finally, the possibility of increased well-being has been raised, in particular in conjunction with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition therapy. The final assessment of a patient's response to therapy therefore requires that all of these aspects be considered together.