Hypertension Guidelines Update (2.9.26)

This lecture provides a comprehensive update on managing high blood pressure, the most prevalent and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Participants will explore the critical goal of maintaining blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg to manage hypertension among U.S. adults. A key focus includes implementing the 2025 ACC/AHA guidelines, specifically transitioning from the Pooled Cohort Equation to the new PREVENT Equation for calculating 10-year risk. By the end of the module, learners will understand how to integrate personalized lifestyle modifications with pharmacological interventions to achieve effective risk reduction. The live lecture for this recording took place February 9, 2026. 

1. High blood pressure is the most prevalent and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality; about 50% of U.S. adults will develop hypertension during their lifetimes.
2. The goal for BP is <130/80 mm Hg for all adults with additional considerations.
3. The 2025 ACC/AHA High BP Guideline has a new way to calculate 10-year risk: PREVENT Equation instead of the Pooled Cohort Equation (PCE). Risk reduction requires a combination of lifestyle changes and medications. 

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and University of California, Berkeley. The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

ADA Statement: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request.  For any special requests, please contact the activity administrator before the meeting date.

The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine adheres to ACCME Criteria, Standards and Policies regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of faculty and their commercial relationships will be made prior to the activity.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

University of California, Irvine School of Medicine Continuing Medical Education adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Presenter: Eleanor Levin, MD, FACC, FAHA 

Clinical Prof Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University; Former Kaiser Permanente Northern California Chief of Cardiology

Since 2018, Dr Levin has been a Clinical Professor in the Cardiology Division at Stanford, specializing in Preventive Cardiology and CardioObstetrics. She has spoken about and presented her work on population management and quality improvement nationally and internationally.After residency training at Georgetown University, Dr. Levin completed her cardiology fellowship at George Washington University and then joined the faculty as an assistant professor of medicine in the Lipid Research Clinic. Subsequently she joined The Permanente Medical Group in northern California as a non-invasive cardiologist. She directed the Echocardiography Lab at Kaiser Santa Clara and introduced transesophageal echocardiogram and stress echo during her 25-year tenure. She introduced CT angiography of the heart at Santa Clara and coordinated joint readings between Radiology and Cardiology for 15 years. She created the Cholesterol Management and Heart Failure Programs initially at Santa Clara and eventually at more than 20 medical centers in Northern California. She was Kaiser's regional expert in lipidology as well as in cardiac disease in pregnancy in a patient population of 4 million. Dr. Levin served as Chief of Cardiology at Santa Clara for 16 years and as Chair of the Chiefs of Cardiology (120 cardiologists) for Northern California Kaiser for 8 years. She directed the Regional Cardiac Rehabilitation Program using home-based comprehensive rehabilitation across 18 medical centers for nearly three decades. During this time, she led teams developing cardiac guidelines embedded in order sets and electronic medical records throughout Kaiser medical centers to improve quality.

Member Information

Role in activity

Nature of Relationship(s) / Name of Ineligible Company(s)

Cindy Giambrone, PharmD
UC Berkeley

Course Director

Stocks or stock options, excluding diversified mutual funds-Sanofi S.A.|Stocks or stock options, excluding diversified mutual funds-Abbott (Any division) (Relationship has ended)

Hattie Hanley, Other
Director
UC Berkeley School of Public Health

Course Director

Nothing to disclose

Eleanor Levin, MD
Clinical Professor
Stanford University

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

William Bommer, MD
Professor of Medicine
UCD Health

Other Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Sarah Epstein, PhD
UC Berkeley

Other Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Jan Hirsch, PhD
UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences

Other Planning Committee Member

Nothing to disclose

Nathan D. Wong, PhD, MPH
Professor and Director, Heart Disease Prevention Program
UC Irvine School of Medicine

Other Planning Committee Member

Grant or research support-Novartis Corporation Pharmaceuticals|Consulting Fee-Novartis Corporation Pharmaceuticals|Consulting Fee-Amgen, Inc.|Consulting Fee-Ionis Pharmaceuticals|Grant or research support-Novo Nordisk (Any division) (Relationship has ended)|Consulting Fee-Heart Lung|Grant or research support-Amgen, Inc.|Speakers Bureau-Novartis Corporation Pharmaceuticals (Relationship has ended)