• Written By Dr Jessica Dawson
• Expert Review: Dr Jennifer Ringrose, Internist in Edmonton, AB

Hypertension is one of those issues that we encounter every day in family practice, whether in the office or acute settings. Roughly one in four to one in five Canadian has hypertension. It is a top modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and the number one cause of death and disability worldwide.

In[JR1] fact, a 2018 systematic review in Canadian Family Physician found that globally, across both developed and developing nations, hypertension was essentially tied with upper respiratory tract infections for being the most common reason for a visit (at least according to the doctors).

Which is why it is typically the first disease that comes to my mind when I think about the preventative side of primary care.

All that to say, this episode is a big one. We focused primarily on the Hypertension Canada guidelines when researching this episode, since that's what will be most relevant for your CCFP exam. But other guidelines exist and you should be aware that they do not all agree.