Clinical Management of Hypertension. 7th Edition. Marvin Moser 303 pages . Caddo, OK ; Professional Communications, Inc. ; 2004 $24.95 . ISBN 1884735924 Approximately 60 million persons in the United States and up to 1 billion people worldwide have hypertension. Prevalence rates are rising due in part to the increasing prevalence of obesity and aging of the population. It is estimated that worldwide, hypertension is responsible for more than 7 million premature deaths annually. In the United States alone, the estimated annual cost of dealing with hypertension and its complications is $100 billion. It is the most important risk factor for stroke and the second leading cause of end-stage renal disease. It is also an important risk factor for coronary artery disease, heart failure, and vascular dementia. Hypertension is the most common reason for an adult to see a health care provider and to take prescription medication. In the United States, despite public health efforts and the availability of efficacious and well tolerated medications, almost one third of adults are unaware that they have hypertension and two thirds are inadequately controlled. The responsibility for improving these statistics and reducing the morbidity and mortality from hypertension increasingly rests on the shoulders of the primary health care provider. However, the publication of numerous guidelines that provide conflicting recommendations and the results of multiple new clinical trials subject to diverse interpretations often leaves the health care provider bewildered. Moser has updated his book that provides the practicing clinician with a concise overview and critique of current guideline recommendations from national and international experts as well as data from recent clinical trials to provide guidance in the diagnosis and management of hypertension. The book is divided into 19 sections. An introduction is followed by sections on the diagnosis of hypertension, lifestyle modifications, an overview of drug therapy, a review of each of the classes of antihypertensive drugs, use of combination drug therapy, and what is known regarding the benefits of treatment. A new section reviews aspects of resistant hypertension and is followed by a selected reading list and index. The topics of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies, hypertension in pregnancy, and hypertension in children are not reviewed. As the author points out, the book is not meant to be a comprehensive textbook on hypertension; rather, it is intended to be a practical and quick reference to help the busy clinician make decisions regarding management issues in hypertension that occur daily in practice. The text is conversational in style and supported by multiple tables and figures that make it easy to obtain relevant information quickly. The guidelines from the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) are reviewed and compared with the 2003 European Society of Hypertension and Society of Cardiology treatment guidelines and algorithm. The results of several recently completed major clinical trials including the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT), the Australian National Blood Pressure (ANBP 2) study, the Losartan Intervention for End-Point Reduction in Hypertension trial (LIFE), the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study, the Perindopril Protection Against Recurrent Stroke Study (PROGRESS), and the Controlled Onset Verapamil Investigation of Cardiovascular End Points (CONVINCE) study are reviewed and put into a practical and useful perspective for the clinician. Salient aspects of the major antihypertensive drug classes are presented in a way that provides the clinician with quick access to important information. Moreover, the author interjects his own insight and point of view throughout all areas covered, enhancing the practical value of the book. Clinical Management of Hypertension serves as a practical and useful reference for primary care providers as well as physicians in training who encounter hypertensive patients on a daily basis. The guidance and insight provided in this quick reference can help the primary health care provider improve treatment and control rates for this important public health problem.—Gary L. Schwartz, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN