The FDA has approved Prestalia (Symplmed), an oral fixed-dose combination of the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker amlodipine (Norvasc, and generics) and a new salt form of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril, for treatment of hypertension in patients not adequately controlled on monotherapy or already taking both drugs, and in those just starting therapy who are likely to need multiple drugs to control their blood pressure. The new salt form (perindopril arginine) is more stable and has a longer shelf-life than perindopril erbumine (Aceon, and...

Effective treatment of hypertension can prevent organ damage and death. The choice of drugs for initial treatment continues to be controversial.

American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines for treatment of hypertension were last published in 2018. Treatment of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies is not discussed here.