To mark World Heart Day in September, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) launched a new Hypertension Pharmacy Toolkit, designed to support pharmacy teams in the prevention, early detection, and management of hypertension. Hypertension affects one-in-three adults worldwide, and high systolic blood pressure contributes to over 10 million deaths each year. The number of people living with hypertension has doubled over the past decades, highlighting the urgent need for early detection and effective management to prevent cardiovascular complications.
The toolkit equips community pharmacy teams with practical resources to identify at-risk patients, deliver motivational counselling, and collaborate effectively with prescribers to improve patient outcomes. “This toolkit was developed to motivate and enable community pharmacy teams to establish or strengthen hypertension assessment and management programmes in their communities, building on
their accessibility and expertise in medication management and lifestyle counselling,” said Dr Inês Nunes da Cunha, FIP Practice Development and Transformation Manager.
The resource is built around four core elements to help integrate hypertension services into pharmacy practice:
- Educational guide – A module offering essential knowledge and practical guidance for pharmacists in hypertension care.
- Hypertension pharmacy assessment tool – A conversation-based tool to support patient counselling on risks, screening, and management.
- Patient information leaflet – A take- home resource to reinforce counselling and provide patients with clear, practical information.
- Primary care referral letter – A template to strengthen communication and collaboration between pharmacists and physicians.
Additional resources include an infographic offering a quick reference on when and how to use the toolkit, as well as a CPD Bite video that demonstrates how pharmacists can apply them in practice.
FIP said it invites expressions of interest from its member organisations wishing to adapt the toolkit to their local contexts and regulatory environments.
The toolkit is available at https://ncd.fip. org/hypertension-pharmacy-toolkit/
