Release date: March 31, 2006
Available for credit through: March 31, 2008
Program Description
Hypertension (HTN) is a modifiable condition that affects approximately 65 million people in the United States. Compared with normal blood pressure (BP), HTN increases the risk of cardiovascular complications by two to four fold, and the risk is even greater among certain demographic and ethnic groups.1 Because only half of patients are adequately managed with monotherapy, treatment with two or more drugs is essential for improving outcomes, particularly in high-risk and difficult-to-treat patients.2-6 This monograph reviews the role of combination therapy in attaining BP goals and reducing complications in diverse patient populations.
Target Audience This educational initiative is intended for primary care physicians, cardiologists, endocrinologists, nephrologists, and all healthcare providers caring for patients with hypertension.
Program Objectives Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Discuss the prevalence and impact of HTN in high-risk populations
Describe the role of combination therapy in overcoming deficiencies in current treatment practices in diverse patient populations
Determine the proper choice of combination therapies to achieve BP goals in patients whose HTN is uncontrolled on monotherapy
The views and opinions expressed in this activity are those of the faculty. They do not reflect the views of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Sanofi Aventis, any other manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, ArcMesa Educators LLC , or Scinexa, LLC.
The recommendations made in this program are based upon a combination of randomized clinical trials, current guidelines, and the clinical practice experience of the participating panelists. Any medications, diagnostic procedures or treatments discussed by the panelists should not be utilized without evaluation of their patient's conditions. Participants are urged to consult the full prescribing information on any drug mentioned in this activity for recommended dosage, indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse effects before prescribing any medication.
Printer settings may vary. Please use landscape layout option.
Elijah Saunders, MD, FACC, FACP Professor of Medicine, Head, Section of Hypertension in the Division of Cardiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
