Cardiovascular risk stratification according to the 2003 ESH‐ESC guidelines in uncomplicated patients with essential hypertension: comparison with the 1999 WHO/ISH guidelines criteria

Abstract

Our findings show that: (i) more than one-third of uncomplicated grade 1 and 2 hypertensives seen in a outpatient hypertension hospital clinic have a high added risk according to the ESH-ESC scheme; (ii) classification of the patients in the high stratum is mainly influenced by the presence of TOD; (iii) the routine diagnostic work-up is a highly insensitive approach for the detection of TOD; (iv) the 2003 ESH-ESC guidelines stratify a higher proportion of hypertensive patients in the medium and high-risk groups than do the 1999 WHO/ISH guidelines.