高血压在美国有2400万患者,是最常见的慢性病。它是人体健康中的一个主要问题,因为,患有高血压的人容易导致中风、心脏病或肾功能衰竭。可幸的是,通过适当的治疗(此种治疗对绝大多数病人都是有效的)使升高的血压下降,心力衰竭或肾功能衰竭以及中风的危险,就会随之减少。然而,直到最近,要找出某一种能控制病人高血压的疗法,与其说是一门科学,不如说是一门艺术。内科医生试用各种各样的药物,或几种药物联合使用,才能碰到一种有效的药物。这是因为,百分之九十的病人是患医学术语所称的“原发性”高血压。“原发性”意味 Hypertension in the United States has 24 million patients, is the most common chronic disease. It is a major problem in human health because people with high blood pressure can easily lead to stroke, heart disease or kidney failure. Fortunately, elevated blood pressure, heart failure or kidney failure, and the risk of stroke, are reduced by the appropriate treatment, which is effective in the vast majority of patients. Until recently, however, it was an art to find some kind of therapy that controlled the patient’s hypertension. Physicians try a variety of drugs, or a combination of several drugs, in order to meet an effective drug. This is because 90% of patients are suffering from medical terminology called “primary” hypertension. “Primary” means