19 Oct 2025: A webinar from the ISH and the Colombian Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery (SCCCV) focused on how to translate the recommendations of the latest American Heart Association 2025 and European Society of Cardiology 2024 guidelines for hypertension into practice.

Panelists at the webinar last month discussed the differences between the guidelines, their goals, proposals, and challenges around implementation.

193 participants from 16 countries across Latin America attended, where panelists discussed the need for:

• Clinical toolkits for healthcare workers (for example: blood pressure measurement checklists, guides for lifestyle management of hypertension, and a flowchart on how to manage resistant hypertension)
• Regional training programs for nurses and primary care professionals
• Pilot initiatives to monitor hypertension control rates, therapeutic inertia, and patient adherence
• And strengthened communication between ISH working groups and national societies.

ISH representatives on the webinar were Dagnovar Aristizabal, Cesar Romero, and Javier Moreno Cortes, with Rodrigo Oñate representing the SCCCV.

Key themes in the panel discussion were:

• The importance of accurate blood pressure measurement
• The importance of comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment relevant to local populations
• Promoting potassium intake and sodium reduction, as an example of non-pharmacological optimisation
• The importance of starting treatment early
• Having the right diagnostic and management pathways in place for resistant hypertension
• Strengthening partnerships globally to improve hypertension control rates

Dr Moreno said: “Our joint meeting was a huge success, bringing together a diverse international audience, and making the session one of the most widely attended regional ISH-affiliated events of the year. This joint event underscored the ISH’s commitment to advancing cardiovascular health through evidence-based collaboration and regionally adapted implementation science. The depth of participation and diversity of countries reaffirmed the strategic value of sustained partnerships in Latin America and beyond.”