Management of mild hypertension. Mild hypertension is defined as diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 90 to 105 mm Hg and/or systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 140 to 180 mm Hg. Drug treatment should be instituted more promptly in patients with evidence of substantial risk of cardiovascular disease or in patients with blood pressure above the mild hypertension range. Although the World Health Organization and Joint National Committee disagree on the definition of "mild" hypertension, both groups recommend non-drug treatment for 3 months before initiating drug treatment in this group. Many experts are sanguine about patient compliance with nondrug treatment, however, and would disagree with this recommendation. Although weight loss will correct hypertension in many who are overweight, and reduction in salt or alcohol intake will help if these are employed to excess, the ability of physicians to persuade patients to change their behavior — unless they have a strong support group and show evidence of being prepared to change their behavior — remains ambiguous.