Page 4 - hypertension_newsletter

REFLECTIONS
Hypertension
Hypertension Global Newsletter #10 2026

The 2025 multi-society guideline looks to reverse poor BP
control rates and mitigate the public health burden of CVD. Hypertension
By transitioning to the contemporary PREVENT calculator for
more equitable and precise risk stratification, emphasizing the
use of SPCs to improve patient adherence, and establishing a
rigorous baseline BP target, this document modernizes everyday
prescribing practices.
CLICK HERE
LISTEN TO A PODCAST IN WHICH
AUTHOR DANIEL W. JONES, MD AND
CLYDE W. YANCY MD, MACC DISCUSS
CLICK HERE THE 2025 AHA/ACC HIGH BLOOD
FOR THE LINK TO FULL ARTICLE PRESSURE GUIDELINE (13:58)

Single-pill combination therapy for the management of hypertension: A scientific
statement from the American Heart Association.
King JB, et al. Hypertension. 2026 Mar;83(3):e00258.

Hypertension remains a leading cause of global CV morbidity, with population-level BP control rates stagnating around 25% in the
United States. A primary driver of this is the traditional prescribing paradigm. Historically, clinicians have relied on a “stepped-care”
approach, initiating a single medication and gradually titrating it over time. However, because most patients ultimately require
two to four different medications to achieve strict contemporary targets (typically <130/80 mmHg), this approach often leads to
therapeutic inertia and a high daily pill burden, causing a decrease in patient adherence.

This 2026 scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) reviewed the current clinical evidence, randomised
controlled trials (RCTs), and real-world implementation data surrounding the pharmacologic management of hypertension.
The objective was to provide expert guidance on transitioning clinical practice away from traditional monotherapy toward the
widespread adoption of SPCs, while also identifying remaining barriers and knowledge gaps hindering their broader use.

Starting with single-pill combination medications compared with stepped care

SPCM, single-pill combination
medication.

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