Hypertension is a burden for so many people and in this issue we look at why recognising it and treating it is important, how Sydney Cardiology services address it, and the CPD events and online training that focus on the subject.

You can access the online version of GP Connect here.

Why is hypertension so difficult to treat?

In this short video, Sydney Cardiologist Dr James Wong says that not only is hypertension the major player in the spectrum of cardiovascular disease but the startling fact is that most people with hypertension are either unaware of their elevated blood pressure or if diagnosed are undertreated.

Did you know that about 50% of acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) occur in people with no known history of symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD)? Of these 40% will die. And with an AMI occurring every 11 minutes that’s more than three times the number of deaths attributed to the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

It’s well understood from autopsy studies, and more recently by a new intracoronary imaging technique (optical frequency domain imaging) that CAD involves rupture of atherosclerotic plaques covered by a thin fibrous cap (‘vulnerable plaque’) and superimposed thrombus.

However, it is increasingly recognised that the issue is not the ‘vulnerable plaque’ but the ‘vulnerable patient’ – the patient with underlying, undetected and untreated subclinical, asymptomatic atherosclerotic CAD.

These are the patients with a ticking time bomb who often have no idea that they may be at risk.

How can early atherosclerotic disease be diagnosed? The answer is that there have recently been huge advances in this area. Read more about two of these developments – coronary calcium scoring and CT coronary angiography – in the attached clinical review.

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Time: 5.30pm – 8pm

CPD points:  4

Venue: Sydney Cardiology, Suite 2302, Level 23, 25 Bligh St Sydney.

Sydney Cardiology is hosting another CPD event for GPs – and this one’s about Hypertension. Join us in our city clinic for drinks, nibbles and presentations on:

• Hypertension Overview
• Diagnostic Testing – Echo/Stress Echo/SphygmoCor – patient demo
• Intervention/EP or other topic
• Ressleep