Program #817 • Available Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ through Saturday, June 23, 2007

Hypertension Update

 

Program Description

Hypertension—systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure >90 mm Hg—is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke. In the United States, hypertension is a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease, which accounts for more than 2 million deaths each year. Controlling hypertension through lifestyle changes and/or antihypertensive drug therapy has reduced mortality from stroke by 60% and from heart disease by 50% in the past 30 years. As in all of clinical medicine, interventions for hypertension need to be individualized. After verifying elevated blood pressure measurements on multiple occasions, the physician must consider the patient’s personal information (eg, age, gender, race), medical history (including current medications and family medical history), physical examination findings, and coexisting conditions. Clinical and laboratory tests are conducted to identify cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal disease risks and to rule out potential causes of secondary hypertension. For patients with modestly elevated blood pressure, the physician should design a patient-management plan beginning with aggressive lifestyle changes. For patients with very high blood pressure and those whose blood pressure remains elevated after lifestyle modifications, antihypertensive medication should be prescribed. Dr. William Manger explores these issues and discusses specific agents for the treatment of essential hypertension: diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, β blockers, α1-adrenergic blockers, and α2-agonists.

(60 minutes)

Credit Information

Up to 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

This activity is designed for family practice physicians, emergency medicine physicians, and all clinicians who rely on accurate blood pressure readings.

Learning Objectives

After taking part in this CME activity, participants should be able to:

CME Credit Designations

ACCME The Network for Continuing Medical Education (NCME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA NCME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 2 Prescribed credits by the American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP accreditation begins Thursday, June 23, 2005. Term of approval is for one year from this date, with option for yearly renewal.

AOA This activity is eligible for up to 2 hours of credit in Category 2-A of the American Osteopathic Association.