Hypertension: Focusing More Attention on Identification and Intervention

About one-half of the US adult population has hypertension. The most common hypertension guideline used in the US is the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guideline. The four hypertension categories in the guidelines are Normal, Elevated, Stage I, and Stage II. Modifiable or lifestyle risk factors can be more critical than nonmodifiable risk factors. Patients who address lifestyle factors aggressively and consistently can reduce their risk for all cardiovascular-related events by up to 15%. With blood pressure monitoring devices now ubiquitous in pharmacies, screening is easier than ever. Simply asking patients if they have checked their blood pressure lately can prompt them to self-screen. Pharmacists should also screen patients with diagnosed hypertension for other cardiovascular risk factors.