Abstract--Goal blood pressure (BP) was defined by the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-VI) and the World Health Organization-International Society of Hypertension (WHO/ISH) as <140 mm Hg systolic and <90 mm Hg diastolic for the general and <130 mm Hg systolic and <85 mm Hg diastolic for special high-risk populations. However, there are few reports that address BP control among special subgroups of hypertensives by reference to targeted BP. We therefore conducted a study to evaluate BP control of 4049 hypertensives in 47 hospital-based hypertension units in Spain. Overall, 42% of patients achieved goal BP (<140 mm Hg systolic and <90 mm Hg diastolic). Only 13% of diabetic patients and 17% of those with renal disease achieved the BP goal (<130 mm Hg systolic and <85 mm Hg diastolic), and only 10% and 12%, respectively, achieved the even more rigorous goal (<130 mm Hg systolic and <80 mm Hg diastolic). Likewise, only 18% of patients in JNC-VI risk group C and 17% of WHO/ISH high-risk patients attained a goal BP <130 mm Hg systolic and <85 mm Hg diastolic. BP control (<125 mm Hg systolic and <75 mm Hg diastolic) was extremely low (2%) in patients with proteinuria >1 g/d. Poorer BP control was observed among patients at high risk, with diabetes, renal disease, or obesity, than in lower-risk groups. BP control was lower for systolic than for diastolic BP. In >50% of uncontrolled patients, no measures were taken by doctors to optimize pharmacologic treatment, and approximately one-third of patients were still using drug monotherapy. Control of BP, particularly of systolic BP, is still far from optimal in hospital-based hypertension units. Patients at high risk, with diabetes or proteinuria, warrant focused attention. Moreover, a more aggressive behavior of doctors treating uncontrolled hypertension is needed.