Evaluation and treatment of uncomplicated hypertension.

The gynecologist is competent to perform an initial evaluation and workup on the patient with hypertension. The use of effective medications, such as the thiazides, beta-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should control most patients. Patients with mild hypertension who have abnormal laboratory values or multiple other systemic diseases, or do not respond to therapy should be referred to an internist. Patients who present with markedly elevated systolic or diastolic pressure (e.g., a systolic reading higher than 160 mm Hg and a diastolic higher than 110 mm Hg) also should be referred to an internist for further evaluation.