Stroke is the primary cause of disability and vascular death worldwide, including Asia. Asian characteristics that differ from the West lead to higher stroke incidence. Stroke epidemiology studies in Asia have shown varying levels of mortality, incidence, prevalence, and burden of disease. Hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor found in Asia. Besides ethnicity that is associated with stroke incidence, both systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and blood pressure variability are positively correlated with stroke incidence. Post‐stroke cognitive impairment is one of the sequelae that affect one‐third of stroke survivors and has become a significant public health concern that is often neglected despite its increasing prevalence. Therefore, it is very important to prevent recurrence by treating stroke optimally and effectively. Increasing awareness and treatment adherence to hypertension, the leading risk factor for stroke, became the main goal in several countries in Asia.

Hypertension is the leading cause of death in human being, which shows high prevalence and associated complications that increase the mortality and morbidity. Controlling blood pressure (BP) is very important because it is well known that lowering high BP effectively improves patients’ prognosis. This review aims to provide a focused update of the 2018 Korean Hypertension Society Guidelines for the management of hypertension. The importance of ambulatory BP and home BP monitoring was further emphasized not only for the diagnosis but also for treatment target. By adopting corresponding BPs, the updated guideline recommended out-of-office BP targets for both standard and intensive treatment. Based on the consensus on corresponding BPs and Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) revisit, the updated guidelines recommended target BP in high-risk patients below 130/80 mmHg and it applies to hypertensive patients with three or more additional cardiovascular risk factors, one or more risk factors with diabetes, or hypertensive patients with subclinical organ damages, coronary or vascular diseases, heart failure, chronic kidney disease with proteinuria, and cerebral lacunar infarction. Cerebral infarction and chronic kidney disease are also high-risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, due to lack of evidence, the target BP was generally determined at < 140/90 mmHg in patients with those conditions as well as in the elderly. Updated contents regarding the management of hypertension in special situations are also discussed.

Hypertension is an important public health issue because of its association with a number of significant diseases and adverse outcomes. However, there are important ethnic differences in the pathogenesis and cardio‐/cerebrovascular consequences of hypertension. Given the large populations and rapidly aging demographic in Asian regions, optimal strategies to diagnose and manage hypertension are of high importance. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is an important out‐of‐office blood pressure (BP) measurement tool that should play a central role in hypertension detection and management. The use of ABPM is particularly important in Asia due to the specific features of hypertension in Asian patients, including a high prevalence of masked hypertension, disrupted BP variability with marked morning BP surge, and nocturnal hypertension. This HOPE Asia Network document summarizes region‐specific literature on the relationship between ABPM parameters and cardiovascular risk and target organ damage, providing a rationale for consensus‐based recommendations on the use of ABPM in Asia. The aim of these recommendations is to guide and improve clinical practice to facilitate optimal BP monitoring with the goal of optimizing patient management and expediting the efficient allocation of treatment and health care resources. This should contribute to the HOPE Asia Network mission of improving the management of hypertension and organ protection toward achieving “zero” cardiovascular events in Asia.

Epidemiologic studies have consistently demonstrated an increased risk of cardiovascular disease during colder temperatures. Hemodynamic changes associated with cold temperature and an increase in thrombogenicity may both account for the increase in cardiovascular risk and mortality. Studies using both in‐office and out‐of‐office BP measurements have consistently shown an elevation in BP during the colder seasons. The large difference in BP between cold and warm months may increase the incidence of hypertension and reduce the hypertension control rate, potentially resulting in increased cardiovascular risk, especially among those at risk of cardiovascular disease. The current trends in global warming and climate change may have a profound impact on the epidemiology of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, as changes in the climate may significantly affect both BP variability and cardiovascular disease, especially in those with high cardiovascular risk and the elderly. Furthermore, climate change could have a significant influence on hypertension in Asia, considering the unique characteristics of hypertensive patients in Asia. As an increase in ambient temperature decreases the mean daytime average and morning surge in BP, but increases the nocturnal BP, it is difficult to predict how environmental changes will affect the epidemiology and prognosis of hypertension in the Asian‐Pacific region. However, these seasonal variations in BP could be minimized by adjusting the housing conditions and using anticipation medicine. In this review, we discuss the impact of seasonal variation in the ambient temperature on hypertension and cardiovascular disease and discuss how this may impact the epidemiology of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Hypertension is an important public health issue due to its association with a number of serious diseases, including cardiovascular disease and stroke. The importance of evaluating hypertension taking into account different blood pressure (BP) profiles and BP variability (BPV) is increasingly being recognized, and is particularly relevant in Asian populations given the specific features of hypertension in the region (including greater salt sensitivity and a high rate of nocturnal hypertension). Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) is the gold standard for diagnosing hypertension and assessing 24‐hour BP and provides data on several important parameters that cannot be obtained using any other form of BP measurement. In addition, ABPM parameters provide better information on cardio‐ and cerebrovascular risk than office BP. ABPM should be used in all patients with elevated BP, particularly those with unstable office or home BP, or who are suspected to have white‐coat or masked hypertension. ABPM is also an important part of hypertension diagnosis and monitoring in high‐risk patients. ABPM needs to be performed using a validated device and good practice techniques, and has a role both in hypertension diagnosis and in monitoring the response to antihypertensive therapy to ensure strict BP control throughout the 24‐hour period. Use of ABPM in clinical practice may be limited by cost and accessibility, and practical education of physicians and patients is essential. The ABPM evidence and practice points in this document are based on the Hypertension Cardiovascular Outcome Prevention and Evidence (HOPE) Asia Network expert panel consensus recommendations for ABPM in Asia.

The “triple burden” of aging population, hypertension, and mental health problems making elderly in Asia is more vulnerable. There is evidence of a bidirectional relationship between mental health and hypertension, which results in lower quality of life, lower rate of treatment adherence, and higher mortality among elderly individuals. It is essential to overcome known barriers and care for the elderly with high‐risk factors in order to address these burdens. This review revealed that elderly with hypertension were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Therefore, debunking myths, creating awareness regarding mental health, and increasing access to mental health resources through holistic community‐based programs would greatly reduce such problems and optimize the chances of success in controlling hypertension‐related problems.