Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society
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Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in the United States, with hypertension being amongst the most prevalent of the cardiovascular risk factors. Improvement of hypertension management has, in consequence, received much attention. Extensive pre- and post-marketing experience with the transdermal formulation of clonidine marketed in the USA in the mid-1980s has now been accumulated. ⋯ Minor skin reactions occur at the site of application of the transdermal patch with moderate frequency. Adherence to transdermal clonidine therapy is high, and patients commonly prefer it to oral therapy. Transdermal administration of clonidine is a useful therapeutic advance in the long-term management of hypertension.