New: Heart Foundation practice tools for managing hypertension

Two new tools to help health professionals treat people with hypertension are now available. These tools are based on “Guide to management of hypertension 2008”.

• The hypertension treatment wall chart is a practical, quick reference tool. It guides assessment of absolute cardiovascular risk, and provides information about drug treatment and treatment targets.

To order a print copy of the “Hypertension treatment” wall chart, call our Health Information Service on 1300 36 27 87 or email us.

• The Guide to management of hypertension 2008 slideshow is a teaching aid for health professionals. It summarises the current best practice in the diagnosis, management and follow-up of people with hypertension.

To access the slideshow, see ‘Resources’ below. For more information about the slideshow, email us.

New: Australian cardiovascular risk charts

The Guide to management of hypertension 2008 has been updated with the new Australian cardiovascular risk charts. To download your updated copy, see 'Guide and associated resources' below.

Guide to management of hypertension 2008 

The Heart Foundation's Guide to management of hypertension 2008 addresses the latest evidence and recommendations from international guidelines released since the publication of the last guide in 2004, including revised treatment targets for various patient populations. It gives consolidated information on the diagnosis, management and follow-up of people with raised blood pressure, and has been endorsed by:

• the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• National Prescribing Service Ltd
• the Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand
• Kidney Health Australia
• the National Stroke Foundation.

Health professionals will find this guide easier to use with quick access to key recommendations and summarised treatment algorithms.

You can access the guide and its associated resources below. Alternatively, call our Health Information Service on 1300 36 27 87 or email us to order your copy.

Lifestyle management of hypertension

Lifestyle modification is an important and effective first-line treatment strategy that should be applied regardless of other indicated treatments for patients with hypertension. For a review of current Australian guidelines on lifestyle modification for patients with hypertension, recommendations and further information, please view the article below (reprinted with kind permission from Australian Prescriber (Aust Prescr 2008;31:150-3)).

 Download

Guide and associated resources

Guide to management of hypertension 2008 (updated August 2009)

• Summary of key recommendations
• Blood pressure and health
• Measuring blood pressure (including ambulatory and self-measurement)
• Diagnosis and classification of hypertension
  • Table 2: Classification and follow-up of blood pressure levels in adults
  • Table 3: Associated clinical conditions and end-organ disease
• Evaluation in patients with confirmed hypertension
• When to intervene in patients with confirmed hypertension
  • Table 6: Treatment targets in adults
• Lifestyle modification
• Assessing absolute cardiovascular risk in hypertension management
  • Figure 1: Australian cardiovascular risk charts (NEW)
• Drug treatment
  • Figure 2: When to initiate blood pressure-lowering drug treatment
  • Figure 3: Initiating drug treatment for newly diagnosed uncomplicated hypertension
  • Figure 4: Stabilisation, maintenance and follow-up after initiation of antihypertensive drug therapy
• Treatment considerations in patients with other cardiovascular conditions
• Managing other cardiovascular risk factors
• Managing inadequate response to treatment
• Long-term management

Guide to management of hypertension 2008 references

Quick reference guide (updated August 2009)

Consumer information

Guide to management of hypertension slideshow (NEW)

Hypertension treatment case study (NEW)

Supplementary information

• Validation of home blood pressure measurement devices 
• Testing for primary aldosteronism

Acknowledgements

• National Blood Pressure and Vascular Disease Advisory Committee members and declarations of interest, and list of reviewers

Other resources

• Salt and hypertension (2007 professional paper)
• Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (2002 professional paper)
• Self-measurement of blood pressure (1999 information sheet)