Editorial [Hot Topic: Clinical Management and Treatment of Hypertension, Its Pathophysiology and the Clinical Use of Antihypertensive Drugs (Executive Editor: Gregory Y.H. Lip)]

This issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design, for which I have the honour to be Executive Guest Editor, addresses topical issues relating to the clinical management and treatment of hypertension, its pathophysiology and the clinical use of antihypertensive drugs. MacFadyen et al. [1] discusses the perception of symptoms in hypertensive patients and the relevance to the application of anti- hypertensive drug therapy. Lim et al. [2] then addresses the role of hyperglycaemia and the hypercoagulable state in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular events in diabetes mellitus, with iimplications for hypertension management. Specifically, the implications for current and new drugs for hypertension are succinctly reviewed. Nadar et al. [3] then addresses the important issue of target organ damage in hypertension, with a succinct review of the pathophysiology and implications for drug therapy. Varughese et al. [4] then address novel concepts of statin therapy for cardiovascular risk reduction in hypertension. As we are increasingly addressing cardiovascular risk reduction in hypertensives, these drugs are increasingly part of routine management of our hypertensive patients. This is followed by an article by Jaumdally et al. [5] which traditional risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in Indo Asians - including hypertension and metabolic syndrome (of which hypertension is a key component) - and the need for a reappraisal to put these data in context of current management strategies. Finally, we end on a pathophysiological flavour, when Boos et al. [6] provide a comprehensive review of hypertension as an inflammatory Process, which includes a discussion of the implications for current pharmaceutical design. Given the excellence of reviews contained in this issue, I hope that the readers of Current Pharmaceutical Design will find this issue useful for updating their knowledge of the many developments of the exciting field of antihypertensive drugs. References [1] MacFadyen RJ, et al. Perception of symptoms in hypertensive patients and the relevance to the application of anti- hypertensive drug therapy. Curr Pharm Design 2006; 12(13): 1557-1565. [2] Lim HS, et al. The role of hyperglycaemia and the hypercoagulable state in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular events in diabetes mellitus: implications for hypertension management. Curr Pharm Design 2006; 12(13): 1567-1579. [3] Nadar S, et al. Target organ damage in hypertension: pathophysiology and implications for drug therapy. Curr Pharm Design 2006; 12(13): 1581-1592. [4] Varughese G, et al. Novel concepts of statin therapy for cardiovascular risk reduction in hypertension. Curr Pharm Design 2006; 12(13): 1593-1609. [5] Jaumdally R, et al. Traditional Risk Factors For Coronary Atherosclerosis In Indo Asians: The Need For A Reappraisal. Curr Pharm Design 2006; 12(13): 1611-1621. [6] Boos CJ, Lip GYH. Is Hypertension an inflammatory Process? Implications for current pharmaceutical design. Curr Pharm Design 2006; 12(13): 1623-1635.