Hypertension, known as a "silent killer" is widely prevalent and a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It afflicts more than one billion population worldwide and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The authors of the chapters look from different angles to hypertension, sharing their new knowledge and experience in the direction of deep understanding and more clarification of the disease providing an invaluable resource not only for clinicians, but also for all medical sciences students and health providers.

Antihypertensive Drugs

Hossein Babaei, Editor

InTech Publishers.  March 2012

 http://www.intechopen.com/books/antihypertensive-drugs

Contents
1) New Therapeutics in Hypertension
2) Dual L/N-Type Ca2+ Channel Blocker: Cilnidipine as a New Type of Antihypertensive Drug
3) Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease: Cause and Consequence - Therapeutic Considerations
4) Potassium-Sparing Diuretics in Hypertension
5) Hypertension and Renin-Angiotensin System
6) Pharmacokinetic Interactions of Antihypertensive Drugs with Citrus Juices
7) Drug Interaction Exposures in an Intensive Care Unit: Population Under Antihypertensive Use
8) The Use of Antihypertensive Medicines in Primary Health Care Settings

Preface
Hypertension or high blood pressure is widely prevalent and a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and stroke, and frequently causes damage to the arterial blood vessels, the eyes and kidneys. Prolonged hypertension can also lead to enlargement of the heart and may cause heart failure. This disease is usually asymptomatic until the damaging effects of hypertension are observed. Therefore, hypertension is known as the "silent killer." Several survey studies for assessing the burden of hypertension in different societies revealed that many subjects with hypertension were unaware of their disease, many of the aware subjects were not on treatment, and many of the treated patients were not controlled properly, particularly in developing countries. Hypertension afflicts more than one billion population worldwide and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. It has been predicted that in year 2025 it will increase by 24% in developed countries and 80% in developing countries. However, the expected increase may be much higher than these projections.

This book is another contribution to the application of new knowledge in the area of hypertension. Authors of this book are from different parts of the world sharing their new knowledge and experience in the direction of deep understanding and more clarification of the disease. They look from different angles to hypertension, providing an invaluable resource not only for clinicians, but also for all medical sciences students and health providers. I hope this book will provide new insight into hypertension disease and greater visibility and access to detection and treatment of vulnerable patients.

Prof. Hossein Babaei
Drug Applied Research Center,
School of Pharmacy,
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences,
Iran