Hypertension affects approximately 50 million individuals in the United States. As the population ages, the prevalence of hypertension will continue to increase if broad and effective preventive measures are not implemented. Data from the Framingham Heart study suggest that the lifetime risk of developing hypertension among 55- to 65-year-old individuals is greater than 90%. According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is the most common attributable cause of preventable death in developed nations, as uncontrolled hypertension greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and renal failure. Despite the availability of hypertension treatments, hypertension remains inadequately controlled; only about one third of patients continue to maintain control successfully. To help address these matters, the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure proposes a more aggressive intervention to hypertension management with more potent antihypertensive agents and combination therapy.