HT-ATTENDING: Essential Hypertension

Abstract

The HT-ATTENDING system extends the exploration of the critiquing approach to the domain of essential hypertension. This domain is interesting for several reasons. First, essential hypertension is a widespread medical problem, for which treatment is most important. Second, there is a complex spectrum of treatment choices, with new drugs frequently introduced. As a result, the field is in constant flux and it is important that a physician have access to accurate, up-to-date information. Essential fhypertension is also a good domain because it is familiar to most physicians. In contrast, anesthesiology is quite esoteric. Most physicians know little, if anything, about anesthetic management.

This chapter is adapted from Miller, P.L. and Black, H.R.: Medical plan-analysis by computer: Critiquing the pharmacologic management of essential hypertension. Computers and Biomedical Res. 17:38–54, 1984. Copyright 1984 by Academic Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the Publisher.