614 patients with hypertension of either sex of 4 clinical institutions were questioned for complaints, own anamnesis and family anamnesis with the help of a questionnaire specially developed for this purpose. The result was an accumulation of certain complaints, such as shortness of breath, cardiac pains, and slight excitability. As preliminary diseases particularly heart diseases, diabetes and renal diseases were mentioned. Many of the patients were in their families concerned with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, overweight, heart diseases and cerebrovascular insults. The throughly made anamnesis particularly furthers the development of a stable doctor-patient-relationship, for epidemiologic purposes (early recognition of unknown patients with hypertension) it is less suitable.