The Hypertension Canada Guidelines are part of our knowledge translation program, which targets healthcare professionals in clinical and community settings, provides annually updated standardized clinical practice guidelines to detect, treat, and control hypertension. The guidelines are updated every 5 years and the process includes development of the guidelines, dissemination (both printed and electronic), and evaluation.
The evidence-based Guidelines are developed through intense discussion of the clinical implications via a systematic review of the literature followed by critical appraisals of all the new clinical research and taking into account the assessment criteria in the AGREE Il instrument. AGREE Il stands for the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) Instrument which evaluates the process of practice guideline development and the quality of reporting.
The guidelines are then translated and adapted into educational materials for professionals and the public. The guidelines are published in lay and health care professional journals and can be accessed for free online.
The members of the Guidelines Committee are unpaid volunteers – clinical and scientific health care professionals who contribute their time and expertise to the development and dissemination of the guidelines. To maintain professional credibility of the content, the process for the development of the recommendations is fully independent and free from external influence. External partners assist with dissemination.