Hypertension Summer School 19-25 September, 2009 - Smolenice, Slovakia

The 2009 European Society of Hypertension Summer School on Hypertension was organized by the Slovak Society of Hypertension in Smolenice (Slovakia). The summer school covered many aspects of hypertension, including parts of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation and clinical course, associated clinical conditions, and treatment. This report summarizes the key points. Hypertension is a systemic disease, involving many organs. Hypertension is highly prevalent, but not adequately treated. To choose the optimal therapeutic approach, stratification of total cardiovascular risk, including the assessment of target organ damage, is crucial. Antihypertensive treatment needs to be prompt and aggressive in those hypertensive subjects with high total cardiovascular risk.