Daniel Pella
Arterial hypertension is disease very easy to identify and, at least in theory easy to treat. In common clinical practice essential hypertension is a very heterogeneous disease and different pressor mechanisms may interact to increase blood pressure. It is therefore not surprising that antihypertensive drugs given as monotherapies normalize blood pressure in only a part of hypertensive patients. This is, for instance, the case of diureics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers administered as single agents. The rationale for combining antihypertensive agents relates in part to the concept that the blood pressure decreasing effect may be enhanced when two classes are coadministered. Also, combination treatment serves to counteract the counter-regulatory mechanisms that are triggered whenever pharmacologic intervention is initiated.