No abstract

Hypertension Canada provides annually updated, evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment of hypertension in adults and children. This year, the adult and pediatric guidelines are combined in one document. The new 2018 pregnancy-specific hypertension guidelines are published separately. For 2018, 5 new guidelines are introduced, and 1 existing guideline on the blood pressure thresholds and targets in the setting of thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke is revised. The use of validated wrist devices for the estimation of blood pressure in individuals with large arm circumference is now included. Guidance is provided for the follow-up measurements of blood pressure, with the use of standardized methods and electronic (oscillometric) upper arm devices in individuals with hypertension, and either ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or home blood pressure monitoring in individuals with white coat effect. We specify that all individuals with hypertension should have an assessment of global cardiovascular risk to promote health behaviours that lower blood pressure. Finally, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor combination should be used in place of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker in individuals with heart failure (with ejection fraction < 40%) who are symptomatic despite appropriate doses of guideline-directed heart failure therapies. The specific evidence and rationale underlying each of these guidelines are discussed.

Hypertension Canada provides annually updated, evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment of hypertension. This year, we introduce 10 new guidelines. Three previous guidelines have been revised and 5 have been removed. Previous age and frailty distinctions have been removed as considerations for when to initiate antihypertensive therapy. In the presence of macrovascular target organ damage, or in those with independent cardiovascular risk factors, antihypertensive therapy should be considered for all individuals with elevated average systolic nonautomated office blood pressure (non-AOBP) readings ≥ 140 mm Hg. For individuals with diastolic hypertension (with or without systolic hypertension), fixed-dose single-pill combinations are now recommended as an initial treatment option. Preference is given to pills containing an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker in combination with either a calcium channel blocker or diuretic. Whenever a diuretic is selected as monotherapy, longer-acting agents are preferred. In patients with established ischemic heart disease, caution should be exercised in lowering diastolic non-AOBP to ≤ 60 mm Hg, especially in the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy. After a hemorrhagic stroke, in the first 24 hours, systolic non-AOBP lowering to < 140 mm Hg is not recommended. Finally, guidance is now provided for screening, initial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of renovascular hypertension arising from fibromuscular dysplasia. The specific evidence and rationale underlying each of these guidelines are discussed.

Healthy behaviour interventions should be initiated in people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.• In people with type 2 diabetes with A1C <1.5% above the person's individualized target, antihyperglycemic pharmacotherapy should be added if glycemic targets are not achieved within 3 months of initiating healthy behaviour interventions.• In people with type 2 diabetes with A1C ≥1.5% above target, antihyperglycemic agents should be initiated concomitantly with healthy behaviour interventions, and consideration could be given to initiating combination therapy with 2 agents.• Insulin should be initiated immediately in individuals with metabolic decompensation and/or symptomatic hyperglycemia.• In the absence of metabolic decompensation, metformin should be the initial agent of choice in people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, unless contraindicated.• Dose adjustments and/or additional agents should be instituted to achieve target A1C within 3 to 6 months. Choice of second-line antihyperglycemic agents should be made based on individual patient characteristics, patient preferences, any contraindications to the drug, glucose-lowering efficacy, risk of hypoglycemia, affordability/access, effect on body weight and other factors.• In people with clinical cardiovascular (CV) disease in whom A1C targets are not achieved with existing pharmacotherapy, an antihyperglycemic agent with demonstrated CV outcome benefit should be added to antihyperglycemic therapy to reduce CV risk.• In people without clinical CV disease in whom A1C target is not achieved with current therapy, if affordability and access are not barriers, people with type 2 diabetes and their providers who are concerned about hypoglycemia and weight gain may prefer an incretin agent (DPP-4 inhibitor or GLP-1 receptor agonist) and/or an SGLT2 inhibitor to other agents as they improve glycemic control with a low risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain.• In people receiving an antihyperglycemic regimen containing insulin, in whom glycemic targets are not achieved, the addition of a GLP-1 receptor agonist, DPP-4 inhibitor or SGLT2 inhibitor may be considered before adding or intensifying prandial insulin therapy to improve glycemic control with less weight gain and comparable or lower hypoglycemia risk.

We present Hypertension Canada's inaugural evidence-based Canadian recommendations for the management of hypertension in pregnancy. Hypertension in pregnancy is common, affecting approximately 7% of pregnancies in Canada, and requires effective management to reduce maternal, fetal, and newborn complications. Because of this importance, these guidelines were developed in partnership with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada with the main common objective of improving the management of women with hypertension in pregnancy. Guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment of hypertension in adults and children are published separately. In this first Hypertension Canada guidelines for hypertension in pregnancy, 7 recommendations for the management of nonsevere and severe hypertension in pregnancy are presented. For nonsevere hypertension in pregnancy (systolic blood pressure 140-159 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure 80-109 mm Hg), we provide guidance for the threshold for initiation of antihypertensive therapy, blood pressure targets, as well as first- and second-line antihypertensive medications. Severe hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mm Hg) requires urgent antihypertensive therapy to reduce maternal, fetal, and newborn adverse outcomes. The specific evidence and rationale underlying each of these guidelines are discussed.

A 52-year-old woman is referred from the emergency department with a diabetic foot ulcer. She has type 1 diabetes mellitus that was first diagnosed at age 12 years. Her condition is complicated by nephropathy, retinopathy, and peripheral vascular disease. She has recently noticed erythema, swelling, and pain over the left foot. On physical examination, she has a pulse of 90/min, blood pressure of 136/84 mm Hg, and temperature of 36.1°C. Pedal pulses are diminished. There is a 2.2ϫ1.5-cm ulcer in the toe webbing that probes to underlying bone. Investigations reveal a white blood cell count of 9500/µL and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 75 mm/h. Wound swab Gram stain reveals gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli. Radiographs of the foot identify soft tissue swelling and cortical erosion in the area of the ulcer. Should magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the foot be ordered? Case 2A 64-year-old man is referred with a nonhealing ulcer. He has a small wound overlying the fourth metatar-See also Patient Page. CME available online at www.jamaarchivescme.com and questions on p 845.

Our review found that metformin had no short-term adverse effects on pregnancy, potential benefits in the neonatal period, but limited long-term follow-up information. Prior to routine use, we recommend further follow-up studies of offspring exposed to metformin in utero.

Heart failure (HF) has been recognized as a common complication of diabetes, with a prevalence of up to 22% in individuals with diabetes and increasing incidence rates. Data also suggest that HF may develop in individuals with diabetes even in the absence of hypertension, coronary heart disease, or valvular heart disease and, as such, represents a major cardiovascular complication in this vulnerable population; HF may also be the first presentation of cardiovascular disease in many individuals with diabetes. Given that during the past decade, the prevalence of diabetes (particularly type 2 diabetes) has risen by 30% globally (with prevalence expected to increase further), the burden of HF on the health care system will continue to rise. The scope of this American Diabetes Association consensus report with designated representation from the American College of Cardiology is to provide clear guidance to practitioners on the best approaches for screening and diagnosing HF in individuals with diabetes or prediabetes, with the goal to ensure access to optimal, evidence-based management for all and to mitigate the risks of serious complications, leveraging prior policy statements by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association.