New guidelines for managing and treating hypertension and lipids

Media release: 2 August 2024

Heart and Stroke Foundations to lead global best practices for new hypertension and lipid guidelines

The Heart Foundation and the Stroke Foundation have joined forces to progress the development of two bespoke sets of guidelines: one for managing and treating hypertension (high blood pressure) and another for managing and treating lipids (such as cholesterol).

Lipid and hypertension related health issues affect millions of Australians: around 4.5 million Australian adults have high blood pressure and 8.5 million have abnormal blood lipid levels. Each is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Given the large number of patients these guidelines will affect, their development will be progressed by both Foundations in collaboration with Hypertension Australia, the Australian Atherosclerosis Society, clinical and disease prevention communities, and those working primary healthcare, with whom collaboration is essential for achieving a new standard of best practice.

This important body of work will aim to ensure patients receive the most up-to-date and evidence-backed advice for their health care.

A systematic review of the literature will be conducted later this year, with updated guidelines expected to be launched and implemented next year.

The work will support the Roadmap of the Hypertension Taskforce.

Next steps

• The Heart and Stroke Foundations will conduct a systematic review of existing literature later this year, with key stakeholders invited to participate.
• Key stakeholders will continue to work with both Foundations to design the new guidelines

Background

Summary of lipid (cholesterol) management guidelines

• The lipid guideline is completely new.
• Managing lipids is crucial as high levels are a leading risk factor for coronary heart disease, which remains Australia's number one killer.
• There have been significant advances in medications and treatments for lipids in recent years, making new guidelines necessary.

Summary of hypertension management guidelines

• The hypertension guideline is an update of the 2017 Heart Foundation/High Blood Pressure Council of Australia Guideline and should be smaller in scale.
• Effective management of hypertension is vital as it is a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
• There have been significant advances in medications and treatments for hypertension in recent years, making an update essential.

Why these new guidelines are necessary

• Health professionals, particularly in primary care, are seeking guidance on new therapies that have become available since the previous guidelines were released, recent evidence on thresholds and targets for treatment, and new diagnostic technologies.
• These guidelines are essential for ensuring that patients receive the most current and evidence-based treatments.
• These new guidelines will be part of a rolling program by the Heart Foundation to lead and support best practice in the prevention and care of cardiovascular disease.
• Lipids and hypertension have been covered in part in the 2023 Heart Foundation / Australian Chronic Disease Association Risk Prediction Guideline and the forthcoming Heart Foundation / Cardiac Society of Australian and New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndromes Guideline.
• However, this will be a more comprehensive review. Implemented together, these four guidelines will complement each other and help reduce the chronic disease burden in the Australian community.