The Committee was informed of progress in updating the existing clinical guidelines for the treatment of hypertension (21) currently being undertaken as a joint project by WHO and the International Society for Hypertension (ISH). The review process is being conducted according to the new WHO procedures on guideline development as approved by the WHO Cabinet in January 2001 (22). At the time of the present meeting, the systematic review of the evidence had been completed and the draft report and recommendations were at the peer-review stage. It was anticipated that the revised clinical guidelines would be available in final form by the end of 2002.
The Committee recommended that the relevant medicines on the Model List (e.g. hydralazine, methyldopa, nifedipine and reserpine,) be reviewed as soon as the new clinical guidelines were published. It also recommended that a full review of the other groups of cardiovascular medicines, such as the antiarrhythmic medicines, should be initiated.