Rethinking Resistant Hypertension
Gabrielle Bourque, Swapnil Hiremath
Abstract
Resistant hypertension is common and known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular events, including stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and cardiovascular mortality, as well as adverse renal events, including chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. This review will discuss the definition of resistant hypertension as well as the most recent evidence regarding its diagnosis, evaluation, and management. The issue of medication non-adherence and its association with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension will be addressed. Non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment of resistant hypertension will be reviewed. Particular emphasis will be placed on pharmacological interventions, highlighting the role of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and device therapy, including renal denervation, baroreceptor activation or modulation, and central arteriovenous fistula creation.