This compact guide on the practical management of the hypertensive individual first saw light in 1990. The underlying concept was, and still is, to produce an easily accessible 'leaf-through' type of mini-textbook on the hypertensive individual's condition and the many dilemmas that surround diagnosis, surveillance and intention to treat or not treat. Our primary aim has been to promote a utilitarian train of thought in the decision-making process in practice, whether general or specialistic. In pursuing this policy, we felt, however, that the terms of practical orientation and advice should be matched, in a concise form, to scientific arguments whenever possible. This cannot always be achieved in reality, so that some chapters unavoidably have a more scientifically-oriented flavour than others. For the 'eager reader' in search of more scientific facts, selected references have been provided. One may rightfully wonder whether such a concept would not turn into a hybrid kind of hypertension guide. And, yes, this booklet has become something of a hybrid, a compromise between an ultra­ lean and superbly pictorial compendium like the Clinician's Manual on Hypertension (Hansson, 1990) and the ABC of Hypertension (O'Brien et aI. , 1995) on the one hand, and full-blown textbooks (e. g. Laragh and Brenner, 1995; Swales, 1995) and even the Handbook of Hypertension Series, Birken­ hager and Reid (1983 onwards) on the other.