The development of the antihypertensive moxonidine (PHYSIOTENS®) was our first major step into the challenging field of cardiovascular medicine. Physiotens® belongs to a category of nervous system inhibitors which relax blood vessels by controlling nerve impulses. This causes the blood vessels to become wider and the blood pressure to go down.  Beyond blood pressure control, Physiotens® has ‘added-value’ qualities that are directly relevant to hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome: Physiotens® improves insulin sensitivity, does not impair the lipid profile, and is neutral on body weight.

Recently Solvay Pharmaceuticals has taken over worldwide rights for moxonidine from Eli Lily, with the exception of Austria and South Korea. In Hungary, Turkey and Germany, both Solvay and Eli Lily continue to co-market the drug.
Physiotens® is available in more than 50 countries worldwide and is marketed by Solvay Pharmaceuticals under the brand names Moxon®, Cynt®, Moxol® and Normatens®.

Hypertension
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and it contributes to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. Hypertension is a serious condition that can damage the blood vessels, and can eventually lead to several other conditions, like stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure and vision problems

Two numbers are used to describe blood pressure:

• The systolic pressure (the higher and first number) measures the force that blood exerts on the artery walls as the heart contracts to pump out the blood.
• The diastolic pressure (the lower and second number) is the measurement of force as the heart relaxes to allow the blood to flow into the heart.

The European Society of Hypertension defines several categories of blood pressure, including:

Category	Systolic	Diastolic
Optimal	≤120	≤ 80
Normal	120–129	80–84
High normal	130–139	85–89
Grade 1 hypertension (mild)	140–159	90–99
Grade 2 hypertension (moderate)	160–179	100–109
Grade 3 hypertension (severe)	≥ 180	≥ 110
Isolated systolic hypertension	≥ 140	≤ 90

People whose blood pressure is above the normal range should consult their doctor about methods for lowering it.

The exact causes of hypertension are not known. Several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, including: genetics, obesity, lack of physical activity, too much salt in the diet, too much alcohol consumption (no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day), stress, older age. Since there are no symptoms or signs of hypertension, people usually don’t feel it. In fact, nearly one-third of those who have hypertension doesn’t know it. The only way to know if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked.

How to prevent high blood pressure?

• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can make you two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure than if you are at your desirable weight. Even small amounts of weight loss can make a big difference in helping to prevent and treat high blood pressure.
• Get regular exercise: People who are physically active have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure — 20%-50% lower — than people who are not active. Even light activities, if done daily, can help lower your risk.
• Reduce salt intake: Often, when people with high blood pressure cut back on salt, their blood pressure falls. Cutting back on salt also prevents blood pressure from rising.
• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. So to help prevent high blood pressure, if you drink alcohol, limit how much you drink to no more than two drinks a day.
• Reduce Stress: Stress can make blood pressure go up and over time may contribute to the cause of high blood pressure. There are many steps you can take to reduce your stress.