Delivering a One-Two Punch in the Treatment of Hypertension With a Vasodilating β-blocker

Hypertension (HT) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the global leading cause of death from non-communicable diseases.  Patients with CVD and comorbid HT have a poor prognosis owing to increased mortality rates. In recent decades, the prevalence of HT in developing countries has increased owing to economic development and an ageing population.  According to the 2019, Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey, the prevalence of HT in adults above 18 years of age was 30%, and this increased with age, rising to 81.7% among older adults above 75 years of age. Other established risk factors for HT include gender, body mass index, smoking and alcohol intake. The management of HT typically involves lifestyle modifications and pharmacological treatment with appropriate blood pressure (BP)-lowering medications. Third-generation vasodilating β-blockers are an example of antihypertensives that are increasingly prescribed in recent years.