HISTORY OF THE HELLENIC SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF HYPERTENSION

The Hellenic Society for the Study of Hypertension was incorporated in Athens in 1987. It succeeded the Greek Hypertension Study Group, formed by the Hypertension Research Clinic of the First Department of Propaedeutic Medicine of the University of Athens, and included the Greek members of the International Society of Hypertension and hypertension specialists from the Universities of Athens and Thessaloniki.

Founding members were N. Karatzas, D. Papadogiannis, T. Mountokalakis, G. Papazachos, C. Stathakis, A. Aisopos, G. Stamatellos, G. Vosnidis, A. Agrafiotis, F. Pavlatos, E. Zimalis, A. Billis, A. Gouliaris, P. Adamopoulos, A. Efstratopoulos, N. Papagalanis, P. Chatzinikolaou, D. Kontoyiannis, A. Karagiannis, C. Zamboulis, S. Douma, K. Siamopoulos, and A. Benetos. The first Council was composed of: President: N. Karatzas, Vice-President: A. Efstratopoulos, Secretary: A. Billis, Treasurer: D. Papadogiannis, and Members: A. Karagiannis and T. Mountokalakis.

The main task of this newly founded society was educational. The first scientific activity was the organization in June 1987 of a Satellite Symposium of the 3rd European Congress of Hypertension, entitled "Hypertension Care Update" with Presidents: N. Karatzas, P. Sleight and A. Zanchetti. This was the first international meeting on hypertension in Greece, and it gathered a great number of experts from Europe, North America and Australia.

Every year since 1988 the Hellenic Society for the Study of Hypertension organizes a day-long symposium on various contemporary topics of hypertension at the Annual Panhellenic Medical Congress held in May in Athens. Since 1990 it also organizes annual courses for interested physicians. About 200-300 register and attend every year. The curriculum includes practical and theoretical aspects of hypertension.