Treatment of chronic hypertension for the prevention of stroke

Because current therapies for acute stroke are limited, attention must be paid to primary and secondary prevention of stroke. This article focuses on the treatment of chronic hypertension in particular. There is no "one-size-fits-all" treatment, although recent randomized trials have shown that certain agents may be more helpful. Although an exhaustive review would require a textbook, this article reviews some major recent trials and provides evidence-based guidelines for treatment of hypertension for both primary and secondary prevention of stroke.