Evaluation of organ damage in hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: This document is the result of discussions held during a Scientific Workshop in Brescia, Italy, where the numerous methods, old and new, for evaluation of organ damage in hypertension were considered. Not all of the methods can be recommended as routine diagnostic procedures for every hypertensive subject. Current routine diagnosis of organ damage by clinic blood pressure, retinal appearances, the electrocardiogram, serum creatinine estimation and urinary analysis will probably suffice; of the more refined methods, only the echocardiogram is likely to be often included in the examination of hypertensive patients. All of the other techniques will be useful in the diagnostic approach to patients with particular problems, or for the purposes of special investigation. RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that the validity of the methods, the clinical relevance of the abnormalities (including left ventricular hypertrophy, reduced coronary reserve, arterial changes in the eye grounds, reduced large artery compliance and microalbuminuria) and the potential benefits of therapeutically reverting these alterations should be assessed by including organ damage evaluation in future epidemiological and interventional trials in hypertension.