Clinical Highlights and Recommendations:

• Confirmation of hypertension is based on the initial visit, plus two follow-up visits with at least two blood pressure measures at each visit.
  
• Standardized blood pressure measurement techniques (including out-of-office or home blood pressure measurements) should be employed when confirming an initially elevated BP and for all subsequent measures during follow-up and treatment for hypertension.
  
• A thiazide-type diuretic should be considered as initial therapy in most patients with uncomplicated hypertension.
  
• Physician reluctance to intensify treatment is a major obstacle to achieving treatment goals.
  
• Systolic blood pressure level should be the major factor for the detection, evaluation and treatment of hypertension, especially in adults 50 years and older.
  
• Fewer than 50% of patients with hypertension will be controlled with a single drug.

Priority Aims

1. Increase the percentage of patients in blood pressure control.
   
2. Improve the assessment of patients with hypertension.
   
3. Increase the percentage of patients not at blood pressure goal who have a change in subsequent therapy.
   
4. Increase the percentage of patients with hypertension who receive patient education, especially in the use of non-pharmacological treatments.