Resistant Hypertension - UChicago Medicine

Resistant Hypertension - UChicago Medicine
Resistant Hypertension
Resistant Hypertension
Resistant hypertension (RH) occurs when a patient’s blood pressure (BP) above 130/80 mmHg even after intensive hypertension treatment, which includes using three concurrent anti-hypertensive medication classes of drug regularly, such as:
Calcium channel blocker: amlodipine or nifedipine
Renin-angiotensin system blocker: lisinopril or ramipril
Angiotensin receptor blocker: losartan or valsartan
Diuretic: hydrochlorothiazide or chlorthalidone
If after properly administering the daily doses of antihypertensive medications your condition has not improved, your doctor will work with you to determine if you have resistant hypertension and how to control this condition.
Diagnosing and Managing Resistant Hypertension
Resistant hypertension can have several causes and your physician will require a complete evaluation to identify any underlying conditions or secondary causes of hypertension, including:
Lifestyle choices (including excessive salt or alcohol ingestion, smoking)
Sleep apnea or other sleeping problems
Kidney disease
Atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries due to plague)
Hormone abnormalities (such as hyperaldosteronism, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and more)
Obesity
Understanding what is causing your resistant hypertension will allow your doctor to personalize your treatment plan to improve your results. When possible, our multidisciplinary team of specialists offers access to advanced treatment options, such as
renal denervation
.
Patients who do not seek treatment for resistant hypertension can run the risk of kidney damage, stroke, heart attack and more.
Continued Research
The University of Chicago Medicine is a central site that studies interventional techniques that help reduce blood pressure in people who do not get significant reductions from medications alone. Moreover, the Director of the AHA Comprehensive Hypertension Center was an author of the updated
Consensus Report on treatment of resistant hypertension
.
Clinical Trials
Our clinical trials provide patients with access to newer and better treatments for hypertension while helping our researchers investigate novel therapies designed to control hypertension.
Second Opinion
Our hypertension experts are happy to offer a second opinion on your diagnosis and treatment plan.
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