[The consumption of fructose and fructose-based sweeteners has dramatically increased in the last hundred years and correlates epidemiologically with the rising prevalence of obesity, hypertension and metabolic syndrome worldwide. The administration of fructose to animals and humans increases uric acid generation independently from excessive caloric intake. Fructose ingestion may also be a risk factor of chronic kidney disease, that includes glomerular hypertension, vascular alterations (arteriolosclerosis) and albuminuria. The discovery that fructose-mediated generation of uric acid may have a casual role in metabolic syndrome and kidney disease provides new insight into pathogenesis and therapies for these important diseases.]

[There are several evidence-based recommendations for the antihypertensive treatment of diabetic patients. The treatment should be chosen in such way that the target blood pressure (<130/80 Hgmm) is reached and the risk of target organ failure and cardiovascular mortality is minimized. Based on the studies, it seems that the angiotensin converting enzyme II receptor blockers and low-dose thiazide diuretics, along with their combinations can be recommended as first-line treatment in diabetes mellitus. Beta-receptor blockers and calciumchannel inhibitors are more effective than placebo and may be can be combined with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin converting enzyme II blockers and diuretics. This is important, because the effective antihypertensive treatment and the prevention of complications in diabetic patients can rarely be achieved with monotherapy only.]

[Menopause and pregnancy are especially vulnerable periods of women’s life regarding hypertension. The “Guidelines for the Management of Arterial Hypertension”, issued by the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology, dedicates a separate chapter to hypertension in women. The renewed guidelines of the Hungarian Society of Hypertension also pays a special attention to hypertension detected during pregnancy. In this article, the euthors review the topics of hypertension detected during menopause and pregnancy, discussing pathomechanism and therapy.]

[The most important features of the new European joint hypertension guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) became available aslectures at the ESH meeting in Barcelona, in 2018 June, while the publication came out in the Journal of Hypertension and also in the European Heart Journal in August, 2018. Based on the published new guidelines I summarise the most important changes concerning cardiovascular risks and target blood pressures.]

[Diuretics are used almost in all fields of medical practice for treating patients in various conditions associated with or without oedema. They exert their effects through profound alterations in the fluid volumes, ion content of the body and in the osmoregulation. They act mainly on the kidneys but the functions of several other organs are also influenced including the heart and vessels, the lungs, liver and the brain. Summarising our knowledge on the diuretics is justified by the broadened use of these drugs and the differences regarding their site of action, potency, way of administration, dosing and side effects. The special indications for diuretic therapy and combined usage of different diuretics are also reviewed.]