The American Heart Association,
the American College of Cardiology and nine other groups redefined high blood
pressure as a reading of 130 over 80, down from 140 over 90.
In addition to tightening the definition of high blood pressure, they do away with the old category of “pre-hypertension,” which was defined as a top (systolic) reading of 120 to 139 or a bottom (diastolic) number between 80 and 89.
In addition to tightening the definition of high blood pressure, they do away with the old category of “pre-hypertension,” which was defined as a top (systolic) reading of 120 to 139 or a bottom (diastolic) number between 80 and 89.
The new guidelines create
categories including “elevated,” “Stage 1 and 2 hypertension,” and
“hypertensive crisis”. Normal blood pressure still will be considered 120 over
80.
"We are recognizing that blood
pressures that we in the past thought were normal or so-called pre-hypertensive
actually placed the patient at significant risk for heart disease and death and
disability,” said Robert M. Carey, co-chairman of the group.
“The risk has not changed. What's changed is our recognition of the
risk.”
They hope that many found with
the early stages of the condition will be able to address it through
lifestyle changes such as losing weight, improving their diet, getting more
exercise, consuming less alcohol and sodium and lowering stress.
High blood pressure is the
leading cause of death worldwide and the second-leading cause of preventable
death in the United States, after cigarette smoking. Hypertension leads to
cardiovascular disease, strokes, severe kidney disease and other maladies that
kill millions every year.
Blood