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Blood pressure (BP) screening using an office-based measurement is recommended for adults 18 years and older without a history of hypertension. If abnormal, the BP measurement should be repeated twice with the average of those final two readings used to determine the BP category. Home BP monitoring and ambulatory BP monitoring are beneficial in patients for whom there is a concern for masked or white-coat hypertension. Guidelines differ regarding the BP cutoff used for the diagnosis of hypertension. Lifestyle modifications are the foundation of hypertension management with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet being the most effective dietary modification. First-line pharmacotherapy should include one or more of the following: an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, an angiotensin receptor blocker, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, and a thiazide or thiazidelike diuretic. Compared with standard BP control, intensive BP control (ie, systolic BP less than 120 mm Hg) leads to a decrease in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in patients with elevated risk but increases adverse effects, including hypotension, electrolyte abnormalities, acute kidney injury, and syncope., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)

Secondary hypertension (HTN) refers to high blood pressure (BP) caused by an identifiable and potentially correctable condition or disease. Common causes of secondary HTN include renovascular disease, renal parenchymal disease, primary hyperaldosteronism, drug and substance use, and obstructive sleep apnea; less common etiologies include pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma, Cushing syndrome, thyroid and parathyroid conditions, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and aortic coarctation. An identifiable secondary cause of HTN is present in approximately 10% of adult patients with HTN. Early recognition of suggestive clinical findings and laboratory results enables the timely diagnosis of specific secondary causes of HTN. Correct diagnosis of a causative underlying condition can lead to more effective, even curative management and subsequent cardiovascular risk reduction. Management involves treating the underlying condition. Some patients may benefit from referral to a specialist with specific expertise in treating the causative condition., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) represent a spectrum of disease that affect women through pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. These conditions are associated with significant morbidity and mortality during and after pregnancy and have been linked to cardiovascular disease later in life. The HDP spectrum includes gestational hypertension (HTN), preeclampsia, eclampsia, HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome, chronic HTN, and chronic HTN with superimposed preeclampsia. Low-dose aspirin is recommended as a preventive drug after 12 weeks' gestation in women who are at high risk of preeclampsia. In HDP, close blood pressure (BP) monitoring, laboratory evaluation, and fetal assessment are warranted. Labetalol and nifedipine extended release are first-line oral antihypertensives for outpatient BP management of chronic HTN; labetalol, hydralazine, and nifedipine immediate release are used for hospitalized patients. HDP may develop or progress in the postpartum period; continued vigilance is important in the puerperium.

Hypertension (HTN) in children and adolescents is a spectrum of disease, ranging from elevated blood pressure (BP) to stage 1 and 2 HTN. The prevalence of elevated BP and HTN in this age group has increased significantly over the past 20 years, particularly in girls. Screening for HTN in asymptomatic children and adolescents is controversial. Primary HTN is now the predominant cause of HTN among the pediatric population in the United States, especially among adolescents. Secondary pediatric HTN is high BP due to an underlying medical condition and is more common among children 6 years and younger. Ambulatory BP monitoring should be considered in pediatric patients with repeatedly elevated office BP measurements. All children with BP greater than the 90th percentile should be encouraged to adopt lifestyle changes, but those with persistent or severe elevations in BP may benefit from pharmacotherapy., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a spectrum disorder with multiple causes of the elevation of pressure in the lungs. It often is difficult to diagnose because it mimics many commonly reported symptoms (eg, dyspnea, exercise intolerance, chest pain). Diagnosis is made via right heart catheterization; however, transthoracic echocardiography may show evidence of elevated pulmonary pressure as the first clue to the diagnosis. Diagnostic tests to consider include a liver panel, complete blood count, and thyroid function test; electrocardiogram; chest x-ray; pulmonary function testing; and possibly lung imaging via computed tomography scan or ventilation-perfusion scan. PH is grouped into several broad categories: group 1 is pulmonary artery hypertension, group 2 is PH due to left heart disease, group 3 is PH due to lung disease, group 4 is chronic thromboembolic PH, and group 5 is PH due to unclear or multifactorial mechanisms. Therapy targets the underlying etiology and may include physical activity and pulmonary rehabilitation; drugs such as diuretics, vasodilators, and anticoagulants; oxygen therapy; and lung transplantation. Significant PH can result in increased mortality risk. Because of its complex and heterogeneous nature, PH is best managed by subspecialists with expertise in the condition., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)

Bradyarrhythmia (bradycardia) is a heart rate lower than 60 beats/min. It can be due to sinus, atrial, or junctional bradycardia or to a problem with the conduction system (eg, an atrioventricular block). Asymptomatic bradycardia is common, especially among trained athletes or during sleep. Bradycardia symptoms can include syncope, dizziness, chest pain, dyspnea, or fatigue. It is important to determine during the evaluation if bradycardia is the cause of the patient's symptoms. In the acute setting, symptomatic patients should be treated with atropine. Percutaneous pacing can be used as a bridge to definitive treatment. The only therapy for persistent bradycardia is placement of a permanent pacemaker. Symptomatic patients with sick sinus syndrome and high second- or third-degree atrioventricular blocks require placement of permanent pacemakers., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a surgical procedure in which a vessel, normally the left internal mammary artery and/or a segment of an excised vein (typically from the leg), is grafted to the coronary arteries to bypass a blockage. CABG has been shown to be superior to percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with complex three vessel disease and left main coronary artery disease. All patients undergoing CABG should receive aspirin preoperatively; they also should receive a beta blocker preoperatively to reduce the likelihood of postsurgical atrial fibrillation. All patients should receive aspirin within 6 hours postsurgery to prevent graft thrombosis and should continue taking aspirin indefinitely, be started or continued on a high-intensity statin, be enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program, and be screened and treated if necessary for depression., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. The prevalence increases with age, especially in the seventh and eighth decades of life. AF also is associated with multiple risk factors and conditions that are managed commonly in family medicine settings, such as hypertension and diabetes. Rhythm control and rate control are primarily equivalent for mortality rate, but patients treated for rhythm control have more hospitalizations; however, rhythm control may be a viable option for select patients. Beta blockers and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers can be used to achieve rate control. Pharmacotherapy or electrical cardioversion can be used to achieve rhythm control, and antiarrhythmic drugs are used to maintain sinus rhythm. Catheter ablation is an option for symptomatic patients whose AF is refractory to standard treatment. The CHA2DS2-VASc score should be used to predict the risk of stroke for patients with AF. Patients with nonvalvular AF and a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack or CHA2DS2-VASc scores of 2 or greater should be treated with warfarin or novel oral anticoagulants. Patients with valvular AF should be treated with warfarin., (Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)