Blood pressure is bad, so you need to ACT fast

ACE/ARB; CCB; Thiazide

These are the three recommended classes of anti-hypertensives to start with for the general population according to JNC 8. You start with any of the three. Thiazides are no longer given preference as initial therapy. If CKD, then start with ACE/ARP first. If African American, then start with Thiazide or CCB. DM patients are treated just like everyone else, no preference.
Thiazides and CCBs provide better blood pressure control, stroke prevention, and CV outcomes than ACEIs.
For HTN, beta & alpha blockers have worse CV outcomes data than the recommended agents.

print