Course Summary

Hypertension can occur as a primary progressive disease or can be due to secondary conditions. The Joint National Committee has provided recommendations for hypertension management and each recommendation is graded based upon the strength of the recommendation or the evidence-based research supporting treatment. Expert opinion is also referenced in the recommendations for hypertension where the evidence is insufficient, unclear, or conflicted relative to hypertension treatment. There are varied and extensive guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension with or without a condition of stroke, which tend to be lengthy and complex. Substantive differences on hypertension guidelines exist between the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and other national professional bodies, such as the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP) on certain factors, such as age, and the recommended treatment. There are also differences between the ACC/AHA hypertension guideline and other international hypertension guidelines based upon similar research trials that pertain to hypertension and stroke treatment. It is helpful to recognize that all clinical guidelines tend to include the same body of research with respect to hypertension diagnosis and treatment and on the management of hypertension alongside other comorbidities, including stroke.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Hypertension: Prevalence, Comorbidities and Etiologies
• Classifications of Hypertension
  • Hypertension Signs and Symptoms
  • Hypertensive Emergencies
• Risk Factors and Pathogenesis of Primary Hypertension
  • Genetics
  • Age
  • Race
  • Tobacco Use
  • Alcohol Use
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Obesity
  • Sodium Intake
• Screening and Evaluation
  • Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
  • Home Measurement
  • Office-based Measurement
  • ACC/AHA Guidelines: Blood Pressure Measurement
• Hypertension Stages, Risk Factors and Disease Progression
  • Cardiac Disease and Stroke
  • Atherosclerosis and Kidney Disease
  • Retinal Damage
• Isolated Systolic and Isolated Diastolic Hypertension
• Treatment Recommendations:  JNC 8 and ACC/AHA
  • Blood Pressure Goals
  • Lifestyle Modifications
  • JNC-8 Recommendations 6 – 9
  • ACC/AHA Recommendations
• Antihypertensive Medication Therapy
  • Medication Types and Dosing Strategies
  • Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
  • Beta-blockers
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Diuretics
  • Other Antihypertensive Medication
• Alternative and Behavioral Therapies
• Patient Empowerment and Self Care
• Future Trends: Hypertension Management and Stroke Prevention
• Case Study: Hypertensive Stroke
• Summary

Authors

Noah H. Carpenter, MD

Dr. Noah Carpenter is a Thoracic and Peripheral Vascular Surgeon. He completed his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and medical school and training at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Carpenter completed surgical residency and fellowship at the University of Edmonton and Affiliated Hospitals in Edmonton, Alberta, and an additional Adult Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery fellowship at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has specialized in microsurgical techniques, vascular endoscopy, laser and laparoscopic surgery in Brandon, Manitoba and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and in Colorado, Texas, and California. Dr. Carpenter has an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Calgary, and was appointed a Citizen Ambassador to China, and has served as a member of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories, Canada Science Council, and the International Society of Endovascular Surgeons, among others. He has been an inspiration to youth, motivating them to understand the importance of achieving higher education.

Kellie Wilson, PharmD

Kellie Wilson is a Doctor of Pharmacy practicing in Anaconda, Montana, where she lives with her husband and four children. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula where she graduated in 2009 with a doctorate in pharmacy. She later worked in Boise, Idaho for a large, retail pharmacy for 2 years, and then returned home to Montana to oversee an independently owned retail and long-term care pharmacy in Anaconda. As an independent retail pharmacist she has become very involved in psychiatric pharmacy for two major behavioral health organizations that are located around all of Montana. Kellie’s passion is retail pharmacy because she enjoys the interactions with customers as well as the challenges and rewards of staying current with the continuous changes in the pharmacy field.