Table 6.

Treatment algorithms [3–11]

Guidelines	Patient characteristics	Treatment recommendations
JNC 8	Patients categorised based on age, goal BP, race and patients with diabetes/CKD	Specifies drug classes to be used as first-line treatment and longer-term follow-up treatment options if BP remains uncontrolled
ASH/ISH	Patients categorised based on BP and other factors e.g., age, race, comorbidities	Specifies drug class to be used as first-line treatment and longer-term follow-up treatment options if BP remains uncontrolled
AHA/ACC/CDC	Patients categorised based on stage of hypertension	Suggests drug classes to be used, monitoring and follow-up options
CHEP	Provides algorithms for diagnosis and treatment	Specifies drug classes to be used as first-line treatment and longer-term follow-up treatment options if BP remains uncontrolled
ESH/ESC	Patients categorised based on low or high risk	Describes steps to be taken in moving to a more intensive therapy through dose titration or adding more drugs No recommendations on drug classes or doses
France	No algorithm provided	n/a
NICE	Diagnosis and treatment algorithms. Treatment algorithm categorised based on age and race	Recommends drug classes to be used for initial therapy and drug combinations to be considered if BP remains uncontrolled
Taiwan	Patients categorised based on BP and non-high risk or high risk	Specifies the number of drugs to be prescribed but not specific drug classes or doses
China	Patients categorised based on BP and risk assessment	Specifies drug classes to be used as first-line treatment and longer-term follow-up treatment options if BP remains uncontrolled

AHA/ACC/CDC American Hypertension Association/American College of Cardiology/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASH/ISH American Society of Hypertension/International Society of Hypertension, CHEP Canadian hypertension education program, ESH/ESC European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology, JNC 8 Eighth Joint National Committee, NICE National Institute for Clinical Excellence (UK), BP blood pressure, CKD chronic kidney disease, n/a not applicable