People with readings of 130 as the top number or 80 as the bottom one now are considered to have high blood pressure, according to the guideline released Monday by the American Heart Association. High blood pressure used to be defined as 140/90
The guidelines were announced 13/11/2017 at an American Heart Association conference in Anaheim.
What the Changes Mean
The guidelines set new categories and get rid of “prehypertension”:
• Normal: Under 120 over 80
• Elevated: Top number 120-129 and bottom less than 80
• Stage 1: Top of 130-139 or bottom of 80-89
• Stage 2: Top at least 140 or bottom at least 90
That means 46 per cent of U.S. adults have high pressure (stages 1 or 2) versus 32 per cent under the old levels.
With the new guidelines, millions of Nigerians who once considered themselves high blood pressure-free, now fall under the category of those that are hypertensive and would have to immediately make lifestyle changes.
How and When to Check It
Blood pressure should be checked at least once a year by a health professional, and diagnosing high pressure requires two or three readings on at least two occasions.
The common way uses a cuff on the upper arm to temporarily block the flow of blood in an artery in the arm and gradually release it while listening with a stethoscope and counting sounds the blood makes as it flows through the artery. But that is prone to error, and many places now use automated devices.
Who Needs Treatment
Certain groups, such as those with diabetes, should be treated if their top number is over 130, the guidelines say. For the rest, whether to start medication will no longer be based just on the blood pressure numbers. The decision also should consider the overall risk of having a heart problem or stroke in the next 10 years, including factors such as age, gender and cholesterol, using a simple formula to estimate those odds.
Those without a high risk will be advised to improve their lifestyles — lose weight, eat healthy, exercise more, limit alcohol, avoid smoking.
The guidelines warn about some popular approaches, though. There’s not enough proof that consuming garlic, dark chocolate, tea or coffee helps, or that yoga, meditation or other behavior therapies lower blood pressure long-term, they said.
The U.S. government no longer writes heart guidelines, leaving it to medical groups. Unlike previous guideline panels, none on this one have recent financial ties to industry, although some on a panel that reviewed and commented on them do.
The guidelines were published in two journals — Hypertension and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
