Benefits and risks of antihypertensive treatment - the position of thiazide and thiazide-like diuretics in the treatment of hypertension

Abstract

This review is focused on one of the most prescribed antihypertensive agents - thiazide (hydrochlorothiazide) and thiazide-like diuretics (chlorthalidone and indapamide). The latest hypertension guidelines have underlined the role of thiazide-like diuretics compared to hydrochlorthiazide due to their higher potency in decreasing blood pressure and higher level of evidence in larger randomized trials.

Treatment with diuretics is indicated in particular in salt-sensitive and resistant hypertension.

Keywords

• diuretics
• arterial hypertension
• hypokalemia