[Affective temperaments (cyclothymic, hypertymic, depressive, anxious, irritable) are stable parts of personality and after adolescent only their minor changes are detectable. Their connections with psychopathology is well-described; depressive temperament plays role in major depression, cyclothymic temperament in bipolar II disorder, while hyperthymic temperament in bipolar I disorder. Moreover, scientific data of the last decade suggest, that affective temperaments are also associated with somatic diseases. Cyclothymic temperament is supposed to have the closest connection with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension is higher parallel with the presence of dominant cyclothymic affective temperament and in this condition the frequency of cardiovascular complications in hypertensive patients was also described to be higher. In chronic hypertensive patients cyclothymic temperament score is positively associated with systolic blood pressure and in women with the earlier development of hypertension. The background of these associations is probably based on the more prevalent presence of common risk factors (smoking, obesity, alcoholism) with more pronounced cyclothymic temperament. The scientific importance of the research of the associations of personality traits including affective temperaments with somatic disorders can help in the identification of higher risk patient subgroups.]

[Stroke is a highly prevalent disorder worldwide; it is the third main cause of death and the leading cause of severe disability. Recent data showed that 72-86% of cerebrovascular disorders are of ischaemic type. Arterial hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor for both haemorrhagic and ischaemic stroke, it is present in approximately 70% of cases. All forms of hypertension, isolated systolic or diastolic and combined hypertension increase stroke risk about 3-4 times and the relationship with systolic blood pressure may even be stronger than with diastolic blood pressure. Hypertension is very common after acute stroke. In this phase the cerebral autoregulation is disturbed in the region of focal brain ischaemia or haemorrhage such that cerebral blood flow is directly dependent on systemic blood pressure. It is therefore essential to avoid systemic hypotension in acute stroke patients and the reduction of high blood pressure may lower cerebral blood flow in the ischemic penumbra. Evidence from clinical data shows that control of blood pressure leads to lower risk of first or reccurent stroke and patients have shown beneficial effects especially of ACE inhibitors and diuretics. In the PROGRESS study both hypertensive and non-hypertensive cerebrovascular patients benefited from antihypertensive therapy. Previous results suggests that there may be additional beneficial effects of the ACEinhibitor therapy not related to blood pressure lowering in the prevention of stroke.]

[The occurrence of hypertension associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing. Recognising COPD is important in order to choose the appropriate antihypertensive drugs. Antihypertensive drugs that can be used to treat patients with hypertension and COPD include diuretics, ACE-inhibitors, angiotensine receptor blockers (AT1 receptor antagonists) and calcium antagonists, as well as cardioselective beta blockers, as these drugs decrease total and cardiovascular mortality. Of these agents, the importance of the most cardioselective one, nebivolol should be stressed, as this drug has no clinically significant effect on parameters of respiratory function, and, through its additional effects (namely by increasing the synthesis of NO), it has a beneficial effect on COPD-related deterioration of respiratory functions, haemodynamic alterations (cor pulmonale) and local factors that participate in the respiratory inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.]