SummaryTwo recent publications have demonstrated that, in the United States, most hypertensive patients are lost to treatment by 5 years. This high percentage of abandonment is not caused by side effects of the prescribed therapy; most patients claimed they stopped the treatment because they were not correctly informed about the nature of their disease and the way the treatment had to be carried out. The frequency of drop-out may be markedly decreased if the hypertensive patient or his family has a good understanding of the disease, and correct information about the treatment and the expected results, as well as the possible side effects.