WHO guidelines dealing specifically with raised blood pressure were last published 20 years ago- in 1999 – and are now outdated. In 2007, comprehensive guidelines on cardiovascular risk included some recommendations on hypertension but these also need revision and updating in the light of new evidence and practice.

In the past decade, WHO has included diagnosis and management of hypertension in a total cardiovascular risk approach as part of the WHO Package of Essential NCD interventions 2007,2010 and 2013 (PEN). However, this approach has not included the most recent advances in hypertension diagnostic classification and pharmacological treatment.

The WHO 13th Global Programme of Work (GPW) has established a target requiring the ‘reduction of raised blood pressure by 20%’ and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) index has also set ‘effective coverage of controlled hypertension’ as an indicator. Although there are a considerable number of national guidelines dealing with hypertension, thresholds for treatment and other management decisions vary between guidelines.

Given this context, it is timely and appropriate for WHO to develop updated global guidelines for the diagnosis and pharmacologic treatment of hypertension in adults.

The goals and objectives of these guidelines are presented below:

Overall goal:

• To provide the most current and relevant evidence-based global guidance for diagnosis and management of hypertension

Specific objectives:

• to assess the evidence on and agree on thresholds for pharmacological management of hypertensions
• to assess the evidence for, and agree on, appropriate pharmacological management of hypertension

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Contact: khant@who.int