According to JNC 8 guidelines, which treatment should NOT be used as a first-line therapy for hypertension?

The JNC 8 guidelines recommend using several classes of medications as first-line therapies for hypertension, but beta blockers are not among them for initial treatment in most patients. Instead, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics are encouraged as effective first-line options.

Beta blockers are typically reserved for specific populations or situations, such as patients with a history of heart failure, post-myocardial infarction, or certain arrhythmias, rather than being a general first-line treatment for hypertension. This distinction is based on evidence that, while beta blockers lower blood pressure, they do not provide the same protection against cardiovascular events as these other first-line options in the general hypertensive population. Therefore, the guidelines prioritize medications that have robust evidence supporting their use for initial hypertension management.