Editorial [Hot Topic: The 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 issues relating to the clinical management and treatment of hypertension, its pathophysiology and the clinical use of antihypertensive drugs. Goon et al. [1] discuss hypertension, anti-hypertensive therapy and neoplasia, providing an overview establishing the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments presented and highlighting possible pharmacophysiological pathways involved. Aidietis et al. [2] then address the role of hypertension in the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias. Kuhl et al. [3] then address the important issue of the management of hypertension in relation to acute coronary syndromes and revascularisation. Their review discusses the frequency of hypertension and acute coronary syndromes as single clinical conditions, as well as their combined presentations, which necessitates a pragmatic management approach. Karthikeyan and Lip [4] then address the area of hypertension in pregnancy, where information on pathophysiology is everexpanding, as well as new insights into management strategies. Finally, we end on a more controversial note, where Lim and Lip [5] provide a viewpoint on metabolic syndrome and the continuum with diabetes. Indeed, the increased risk of cardiovascular complications may not be related to diabetes status per se but the frequent association of diabetes with a high-risk phenotype, now recognised as the so-called ‘metabolic syndrome’. 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] Goon PKY, Stonelake PS, Lip GYH. Hypertension, anti-hypertensive therapy and neoplasia. Curr Pharm Des 2007; 13(25): 2539-2544. [2] Aidietis A, Laucevicius A, Marinskis G. Hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. Curr Pharm Des 2007; 13(25): 2545- 2555. [3] Kühl M, Lip GYH, Varma C. Management of hypertension in relation to acute coronary syndromes and revascularisation. Curr Pharm Des 2007; 13(25): 2556-2566. [4] Karthikeyan VJ, Lip GYH. Hypertension in pregnancy: pathophysiology & management strategies. Curr Pharm Des 2007; 13(25): 2567-2579. [5] Lim HS, Lip GYH. From diabetes to metabolic syndrome: a view point on an evolving concept. Curr Pharm Des 2007; 13(25): 2580-2583.