Via practica 4-5/2008

PHARMACOTHERAPY OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Patients with coronary heart disease often have elevated blood pressure values or a history of hypertension and after a myocardial infarction the risk of subsequent fatal or non-fatal coronary event is greater if blood pressure is raised. Many important clinical trials have been recently realized and there is nowadays a clear evidence favouring administration of antihypertensive agents such as ß-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists in this group of patients, especially in those with recent myocardial infarction, particularly if complicated by systolic dysfunction. In patients with congestive heart failure and hypertension diuretics represent the important and basic part of pharmacotherapy.

Keywords: arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, important clinical trials, pharmacotherapy.