What is considered high blood pressure has been tightened.

[WVBaker]

Just curious how many know of this change.

"The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/90 mm Hg for people younger than age 65 and 150/80 mm Hg for those ages 65 and older. This means 70% to 79% of men ages 55 and older are now classified as having hypertension. That includes many men whose blood pressure had previously been considered healthy."

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/reading-the-new-blood-pressure-guidelines

The definition for what is considered high blood pressure has been tightened. Here's what you need to know.

Any thoughts?
It seems even medical professionals can't agree on this.

 

[SmithOp]

I thought it was even lower 130/80. With meds I keep mine about 120/70, I have AFib so I have to keep a close eye on hr also.

140 or even 150 sounds way too high for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[WVBaker]

Previous guidelines were 140/90 for those over 55 I believe. They have reduced those numbers to 120/80 for everyone. There are no factors in place for age. This is, for lack of a better term, a one size fits all approach to blood pressure.

I don't know if that thinking works though.

 

[isisdave]

The article is from April 2018, not that that matters. One good thing is that they tell you how to take your blood pressure. This is actually part of the standard, because saying "120/80" doesn't take into account your recent activity. I find that having my wrist monitor at heart level is pretty important -- I can get at least 15 mm high or low if it isn't.

Another thing even my cardiologist had no answer to is "What is an acceptable blood pressure if you run in from the parking lot because it's raining, and run up two flights of stairs to your office? And how long should it take to return to baseline?" Turns out, no one really knows the answer to the first part -- too hard to measure and document, I suppose. The answer to the second part is that 90% of people will return to baseline within 7 minutes.

 

[csxjohn]

They keep changing everything like this. Cholesterol is one example. I diet and exercise to stay in the limits then they lower the limits. I finally surrendered when I had to get both knees replaced. Pre op exam had a problem with my EKG so had to to to a cardiologist. He asked me to take a calcium screening because of family history and I agreed knowing I was setting myself up for bad news.

Yep, showed high levels so when the first knee was done I let him put me on atorvostatin to help control the cholesterol.

 

[bogey21]

The rules for acceptable blood pressure are like the rules for Marriott TimeShares. They keep changing...

George

 

[WVBaker]

I would imagine that the pharmaceutical industry is cheering this update.

 

[Talent312]

Why did the pharmaceutical cross the road?.....

To get to the other side - effect.

-- courtesy of Alexa

 

[Panina]

I would imagine that the pharmaceutical industry is cheering this update.

Wonder if we dig, if the pharmaceutical industry somehow paid for / sponsored the clinical trials that were used to change the guidelines.

 

[WVBaker]

Wonder if we dig, if the pharmaceutical industry somehow paid for / sponsored the clinical trials that were used to change the guidelines.

Could very well be.

The JNC-8 which is, America's Joint National Committee on the prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure, disagreed with this study's findings and maintains a different standard in defining hypertension.

It seems that even the "experts" in this field can't agree.

 

[easyrider]

Just curious how many know of this change.

"The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/90 mm Hg for people younger than age 65 and 150/80 mm Hg for those ages 65 and older. This means 70% to 79% of men ages 55 and older are now classified as having hypertension. That includes many men whose blood pressure had previously been considered healthy."

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/reading-the-new-blood-pressure-guidelines

The definition for what is considered high blood pressure has been tightened. Here's what you need to know.

Any thoughts?
It seems even medical professionals can't agree on this.

Interesting. I didn't see anything about the low end of blood pressure. I was told that 90/60 was the low end of normal.

Bill

 

[WVBaker]

Interesting. I didn't see anything about the low end of blood pressure. I was told that 90/60 was the low end of normal.

Bill

Like me, many may not be aware of the change in guidelines until their next visit to their GP and having it be suggested they begin medication. I went from Pre-Hypertension to Stage 1 Hypertension with the same readings as the last visit 6 months ago.

These are now the two guidelines in determining hypertension.