ESC Congress 2024 — Dr Rhian Touyz (McGill University Health Center, CA) joins us to discuss key highlights from the ESC 2024 guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension.

The new guidelines introduce a new systolic blood pressure treatment target range of 120-129 mmHg, placing emphasis on an intensive target treatment as the first step in patient management - only opting out of this target in select circumstances or when treatment is not tolerated by the patient. Pragmatic advice is also included in order to pursue a BP as low as reasonably achievable in patients unable to tolerate or who opt out of the intensive target.

The guidelines also include a new category of 'elevated BP' defined as a BP 120-139/70-89 mmHg. More patients at risk for stroke and heart attack will be identified by this category. New guidance on exercise and potassium supplementation is included to help lower BP, and for the first time, renal denervation is included to treat hypertension.

Interview Questions:
1. What are the unmet needs of patients with hypertension in 2024?
2. What is new in the guidelines?
3. Is there any area that needs more attention?
4. What are some of the challenges and opportunities with the implementation of these recommendations?

Recorded on-site at ESC Congress 2024, London.

Editors: Jordan Rance and Mirjam Boros.
Videographers: Mike Knight, Dan Brent, Oliver Miles, Tom Green, David-Ben-Harosh.

Support: This is an independent interview produced by Radcliffe Cardiology.