Innovations in primary care: implication for hypertension detection and treatment.

The majority of hypertension detection and management in Canada is provided by family physicians. Although various organizations have called attention to the poor rates of hypertension detection and control on a worldwide basis, the tools and infrastructure that allow for better hypertension management have generally been lacking in primary care. Recent advances in the fields of primary care and chronic disease management have led to the development of frameworks wherein chronic diseases such as hypertension can be more effectively managed. Such paradigms integrate the primary care physician, the specialist, technologies, and a wide variety of health system and community resources to provide optimal care to the patient with hypertension. The present review highlights many of the advances in primary health care delivery in Canada that apply to hypertension.