Central Pressure And New Goals: Should Be Hypertension Therapy Priorities
Björn Dahlöf (Sweden)

A fundamental change in the way hypertension is measured, and studies to identify evidence-based blood pressure goals have been highlighted as top priorities by one of Sweden’s prominent hypertension specialists, Prof. Björn Dahlöf, during the European Meeting on Hypertension.

Eight Blood Pressure Genes Bring Promise For Drug Design
Mark Caulfield (UK)

Eight human genes have been recognised as modulating blood pressure by a team from London, UK. Prof. Caulfiled tells about this research that will provide targets for new drugs to treat hypertension.

Angiotensin AT2 Receptor Agonist: Restorative Role For Patients With Hypertension?
Thomas Unger (Germany)

A new drug which stimulates the angiotensin AT2 receptor is showing the way forward in therapy for hypertension, even though it does not lower blood pressure.  Prof. Unger tells about this receptor.

Blood Pressure “Too Low” Can Increase Mortality In Diabetes
Josep Redon (Spain)

Prof. Redon tells about a J-shaped relationship between lowering blood pressure and mortality uncovered by the ONTARGET study in patients with diabetes.

Microalbuminuria: Undervalued As A Risk Assessment Tool
Hermann Haller (Germany)

Prof. H. Haller tells about the significant health risks – including for renal disease, myocardial infarction and stroke – which are going undetected across Europe because doctors are not testing their patients who have hypertension for microalbuminuria. He discusses the findings of a European Society of Hypertension survey revealing widespread ignorance among general practitioners, cardiologists and diabetologists.

Czech Republic Sees Massive Decline In Cardiovascular Deaths With Hypertension Treatment And Awareness
Renata Cifkova (Czech Republic)

A leading scientist from Prague has announced results showing a forty per cent reduction in cardiovascular mortality overall and a sixty per cent fall in stroke deaths between 1985 and 2007 in the Czech Republic. Prof. Cifkova explains why improvements in blood pressure control and blood pressure levels are the probable causes of these changes.

Intensive Glycaemic Control: Meta Analysis Confirms Benefit In Type II Diabetes
Peter Nilsson (Sweden)

Prof. Nilsson explains his clear recommendation that doctors should manage hyperglycaemia aggressively in patients with Type II diabetes following his discussions in Milan about the meta-analysis of five big studies recently published in The Lancet which confirms a reduction of cardiovascular events. He also discusses Early Vascular Aging (EVA) and what to do about it, namely to use: ADAM: Aggressive Decrease of Atherosclerosis Modifiers.

Hydrochlorothiazide: Not Recommended for First-Line Therapy in Hypertension
Franz Messerli (USA)

A popular diuretic has lost favour with one of New York’s top hypertension experts. Prof. Messerli made a cogent argument during a “Late-Breaker” session at the Milan conference for never using hydrochlorothiazide as initial therapy for hypertension.