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Hypertension - Guidelines and treatment

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Hypertension: Current guidelines and treatment

Hypertension has been identified as a major risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), renal failure, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), cognitive decline and atrial fibrillation (AF).1 There is compelling evidence that therapies to reduce blood pressure will lower these cardiovascular risks, both in people with multiple vascular risk factors and in those with hypertension as an isolated condition.2 Existing guidelines provide recommendations on treatment thresholds and lifestyle interventions.

This resource, consisting of five assessment questions at intermediate level, tests your knowledge of the treatment of hypertension based on the current NICE guideline. Complete the resource, including reading the featured articles and undertaking some or all of the suggested activities, to obtain a certificate for one hour of continuing professional development to include in your annual portfolio.  

 

Aims and objectives

On completion of this resource you should have an understanding of:

  • Guidance recommendations on who should be treated for hypertension
  • The role of lifestyle interventions in the management of hypertension
  • The impact of diet and salt on hypertension
  • The difference in treatment regimens for different age groups and ethnic origins
  • Recommended drug therapy and combinations

References

1. MacMahon S, Petro R, Cutler J, et al. Blood pressure , stroke and coronary heart disease. Part 1. Prolonged differences in blood pressure: prospective observational studies corrected for the regression dilution bias. Lancet 1990:335;765-774

2. Turnbull F. Effect of different blood-pressure lowering regimes on major cardiovascular events: results of prospectively-designed overviews of randomised trials. Lancet 2003, 362 (9395):p.1527-35

Recommended reading

JBS 2: Joint British Societies’ guidelines on prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice. Heart (British cardiac Society), 2005, 91: p v1.

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Risk estimation and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. A national clinical guideline, February 2007. https://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign97.pdf

NICE CG127 Hypertension. Clinical management of primary hypertension in adults. 2011. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG127

Education for Health courses

Hypertension diploma https://www.educationforhealth.org/shop.php/courses/43/

Hypertension workshop https://www.educationforhealth.org/shop.php/courses/16/

Putting Prevention first workshop https://www.educationforhealth.org/shop.php/courses/31/

Self Management Support and Health Behaviour Change workshop

https://www.educationforhealth.org/shop.php/courses/176

Date of preparation: February 2014 

Review date: February 2015