International Society of Hypertension, World Hypertension, and Three New Classes of Antihypertensive Drugs

From Medscape Cardiology Hypertension Highlights Linda Brookes, MSc Abstract Potent new statistics on the true burden of hypertension in the world today -- to be remembered and cited by all those concerned with the dimensions of this healthcare challenge -- were highlighted at the fourth World Hypertension Day. Also this month, important new US guidelines for home blood pressure (BP) monitoring (patients monitor glucose -- why not BP?) were published as well as the latest Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists Collaborative (BPLTTC) meta-analysis suggesting that it is the BP levels attained, not targeting different classes of drugs for different ages, that matters. And finally, encouraging results for no less than 3 potential new classes of antihypertensive agents, targeting new pathways.