Utility of combined therapy in the prevention and treatment of the cardiovascular disease

Although blood pressure control is crucial in patients with hypertension, current clinical practice guidelines recommend that the goal of treatment should be aimed at not only reducing blood pressure values but decreasing global cardiovascular risk. Available data suggest that blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol control rates, two of the most common cardiovascular risk factors, are low, not only in the primary care setting but also in specialists setting. Clinical trials, such as the Anglo-Scandanavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT), have demonstrated that the integration of a multifactorial approach through the treatment of different risk factors effectively reduces the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this review was to update the current knowledge about the combined therapy of different risk factors in the hypertensive population., (C) 2009 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.