The Working Group on Hypertension and the Heart (WG) and the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (EACPR) have recently discussed the possibilities and opportunities for a more structured and closer collaboration.
The WG has indeed used a comprehensive approach for the prevention and management of hypertension for a long time and its goals are therefore in line with the goals of EACPR.
The WG has been founded by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in collaboration with the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the WG has continued a straight collaboration with ESH ever since; for example, the chairperson of the WG is ex-officio member of the ESH Council.
Therefore the WG opts to continue as an independent WG within ESC, but would appreciate a close collaboration with EACPR, in particular by having a common session at the European Hypertension meetings and at the EuroPrevent meetings. The WG was already involved in the EuroPrevent meetings in 2006 (Athens) as well as in 2007 (Madrid).
Hypertension will be an important topic at EuroPrevent 2008 in Paris: a joint main session between ESH, WG and EACPR and a ‘meet the expert’ session on hypertension will be held.
It was agreed to start a common session at the European Hypertension meeting in 2009 in Milan, the organisation of the ISH-ESH Hypertension meeting in 2008 in Berlin being too far advanced.
EACPR supports the intention of the WG to have the WG in the EACPR congress programme committee cluster for upcoming ESC meetings, starting in 2008 for the preparation of the ESC meeting in 2009, because the WG is currently in a cluster with WGs with which it has no relationship or common interests at all.
Finally, the WG and EACPR work closely together in the newly created Council for Primary Cardiovascular Care and the WG could collaborate in Euro-Aspire with regard to blood pressure and hypertension.