17 Oct 2025: In the run up to our 2026 Scientific Meeting in Dubai, ISH members reflect on what they gained by attending the last meeting held in Cartagena, Colombia. In this blog, we hear from Teemu Niiranen (Finland).

As a hypertension specialist and researcher, I’ve always believed that continuous learning and presenting your newest results at scientific meetings is key to improving patient care and advancing science. When I heard that the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) 2024 meeting would take place in Cartagena, Colombia, I knew I had to attend. The event promised not only cutting-edge research but also the chance to engage with colleagues from across the world at an exotic South American venue.

I strategically arrived at Cartagena a day before the meeting. The South American city and the mangroves outside it were new sights to a person from a completely different part of the globe. At ISH 2024, I chaired or attended interesting sessions with topics that are close to my own research, such as precision medicine and advances in digital blood pressure monitoring. In addition, as ISH covers the whole world, I learned about community-based interventions making real-world impacts in low-resource, highlighting how global health inequities influence cardiovascular outcomes.

Equally important was the opportunity to connect with people engaged in hypertension care and research. Over a cup of marvelous Columbian coffee and evening receptions, I exchanged ideas with researchers, clinicians, and public health experts who shared my passion for tackling the silent epidemic of high blood pressure.

Returning home, I felt re-energized to apply what I’d learned. ISH 2024 reaffirmed my commitment to advancing evidence-based, patient-centered hypertension management and to being part of a truly global ISH effort to reduce cardiovascular disease.

The 31st ISH Scientific Meeting and the 17th Emirates Cardiac Society Annual Conference will take place from 22nd to 25th October 2026 in Dubai.