At the Forefront - UChicago Medicine

Resistant Hypertension

Resistant hypertension (RH) occurs when a patient’s blood pressure (BP) above 130/80 mmHg even after intensive hypertension treatment, which includes using 3 concurrent anti-hypertensive medication classes of drug regularly, such as:

  • Calcium channel blocker: amlodipine or nifedipine
  • Renin-angiotensin system blocker: lisinopril or ramipril
  • Angiotensin receptor blocker: losartan or valsartan
  • Diuretic: hydrochlorothiazide or chlorthalidone

If after properly administering the daily doses of antihypertensive medications your condition has not improved, your doctor will work with you to determine if you have resistant hypertension and how to control this condition.

Diagnosing and Managing Resistant Hypertension

Resistant hypertension can have several causes and your physician will require a complete evaluation to identify any underlying conditions or secondary causes of hypertension, including:

  • Lifestyle choices (including excessive salt or alcohol ingestion, smoking)
  • Sleep apnea or other sleeping problems
  • Kidney disease
  • Atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries due to plague)
  • Hormone abnormalities (such as hyperaldosteronism, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and more)
  • Obesity

Patients who do not seek treatment for resistant hypertension can run the risk of kidney damage, stroke, heart attack and more. Understanding what is causing your resistant hypertension will allow your doctor to personalize your treatment plan to improve your results.

Continued Research

The University of Chicago Medicine is a central site that studies interventional techniques that help reduce blood pressure in people who do not get significant reductions from medications alone. Moreover, the Director of the AHA Comprehensive Hypertension Center was an author of the updated Consensus Report on treatment of resistant hypertension.

Clinical Trials

Our clinical trials provide patients with access to newer and better treatments for hypertension while helping our researchers investigate novel therapies designed to control hypertension.

 

Second Opinion

Our hypertension experts are happy to offer a second opinion on your diagnosis and treatment plan.

Request an Appointment

We are currently experiencing a high volume of inquiries, leading to delayed response times. For faster assistance, please call 773-702-6134 to schedule your appointment.

If you have symptoms of an urgent nature, please call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.

You can also schedule an appointment instantly for in-person and video visits through our online scheduling portal.

By submitting this form you acknowledge the risk of sending this information by email and agree not to hold the University of Chicago or University of Chicago Medical Center liable for any damages you may incur as a result of the transfer or use of this information. The use or transmittal of this form does not create a physician-contact relationship. More information regarding the confidentiality of this request can be found in our Privacy Policy.

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By submitting this form you acknowledge the risk of sending this information by email and agree not to hold the University of Chicago or University of Chicago Medical Center liable for any damages you may incur as a result of the transfer or use of this information. The use or transmittal of this form does not create a physician-contact relationship. More information regarding the confidentiality of this request can be found in our Privacy Policy.