New guidelines for treating arterial hypertension - application in family medicine

Abstract:

New guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of arterial hypertension by the European Hypertension Sociaty and the European Cardiac Society were issued in September 2018. The guidelines integrate the overall knowledge and experience in addition to the best evidence obtained through relevant research. This provides the necessary definitions, classifications and recommendations for the correct classification of hypertension and the associated diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Given the differences between the new European guidelines in relation to those issued by the American College of Cardiology and the 2017 American Society for Hypertension guidelines, it should be emphasized that the European guidelines have until now been applied in Croatia. According to the Croatian Society for Hypertension and the Croatian Cardiology Society, the new European guidelines’ acceptance and implementation in everyday work is recommended. It is expected that their application in everyday family medicine practice will improve care for patients with arterial hypertension and reduce the cardiovascular risk of the general population. 

Key words:
arterial hypertension; new guidelines; cardiovascular risk