New joint European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension.

Introduction and purpose In preparing these guidelines the Committee established by the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has aimed at offering the best available and most balanced information to all those involved in the management of arterial hypertension. The Committee is aware that it is easier to prepare guidelines on a medical condition in general than to deal with the individual patients with that condition requiring medical advice and intervention. Because of this awareness, the Committee has tried to avoid giving rigid rules that would constrain judgement on the management of individual patients differing in their personal, medical and cultural characteristics.