The document defines “screening and diagnosis through blood pressure measurement in a clinical setting.”
The Direção-Geral da Saúde (DGS) has published new guidelines establishing the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to arterial hypertension in adults, aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk and the morbidity associated with the condition.
The guidelines, published on Thursday on the DGS website, reinforce diagnostic criteria, blood pressure classification and treatment strategies for the adult population, excluding pregnant women and cases of secondary hypertension.
The document defines “screening and diagnosis through blood pressure measurement in a clinical setting, complemented by home self-measurement or ambulatory monitoring, as well as blood pressure classification and identification of emergencies.”
It also includes an initial assessment with global cardiovascular risk stratification, screening for target organ damage and secondary causes where indicated, integrating lifestyle-based treatment, pharmacological therapy, follow-up and appropriate referral, the DGS states.
The guidelines recommend that blood pressure assessment be carried out at opportune moments — at least every three years in adults under 40 and annually in those aged 40 or over.
They also recommend a multidisciplinary approach to managing people with elevated blood pressure and hypertension.
According to the DGS, “this strategy allows for a more comprehensive view and more effective control” of hypertension in the population.
The guidelines were drawn up through a joint proposal by the Department of Quality in Health and the National Programme for Cerebrocardiovascular Diseases.
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In Europe, arterial hypertension is estimated to affect between 35% and 40% of the population, and in Portugal the prevalence of the condition is estimated at 42.6% among the adult population. Of patients with arterial hypertension, fewer than half are being treated with antihypertensive drugs and only 11.2% have their condition under control, according to data published on the SNS 24 portal.
Excessive blood pressure damages blood vessels and the body’s major organs — including the brain, kidneys and heart — at an early stage, and can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, increased heart rate, chest pain and shortness of breath.
