UC Davis Health earns Comprehensive Hypertension Center Certification from American Heart Association

UC Davis Health has been awarded the American Heart Association’s Comprehensive Hypertension Center Certification. This achievement recognizes the health system’s commitment to improving hypertension care and reducing patients’ risk for heart disease and stroke.

UC Davis Medical Center is one of only six healthcare facilities in California to be a Certified Hypertension Center and the only one located north of San Francisco.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs when blood pushes too strongly against artery walls, making the heart work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure is sometimes called “the silent killer” because many people have no symptoms until it causes serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage.

Certified Comprehensive Hypertension Centers are recognized as leaders in implementing quality improvement practices. They follow proven guidelines for treating high blood pressure and ongoing professional education.

“Becoming a Certified Hypertension Center is an exciting achievement for our team,” said Surabhi M. Atreja, professor of cardiology and director of the Hypertension Clinic in Cardiovascular Medicine at UC Davis Health. “This recognition reflects the hard work of our team, our focus on improving patient outcomes and our dedication to advancing the highest standards of hypertension care. We are proud to help put UC Davis Health on the map as a leader in the treatment and management of high blood pressure.”

“This recognition reflects the hard work of our team, our focus on improving patient outcomes and our dedication to advancing the highest standards of hypertension care. We are proud to help put UC Davis Health on the map as a leader in the treatment and management of high blood pressure.”—Surabhi M. Atreja

The American Heart Association created the Comprehensive Hypertension Center certification program to improve outcomes for people with complex or difficult-to-treat hypertension by partnering with healthcare organizations to implement evidence-based treatment guidelines.

The certification recognizes programs that meet rigorous standards across patient care, provider expertise, research and education. Certification is based on a comprehensive evaluation of a program’s performance and best practices in hypertension management.