The new guidelines stem from the 2017 results of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), which studied more than 9,000 adults ages 50 and older who had systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) of 130 mm Hg or higher and at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. 'The goal now with the new guidelines is to help people address high blood pressure - and the problems that may accompany it like heart attack and stroke - much earlier.' Paul Conlin, an endocrinologist with Harvard-affiliated VA Boston Healthcare System and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Instead, they are changed when sufficient new evidence suggests the old ones weren't accurate or relevant anymore,' says Dr. 'Blood pressure guidelines are not updated at regular intervals. That includes many men whose blood pressure had previously been considered healthy.

This means 70% to 79% of men ages 55 and older are now classified as having hypertension. 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. In 2017, new guidelines from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and nine other health organizations lowered the numbers for the diagnosis of hypertension (high blood pressure) to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and higher for all adults. If you didn't have high blood pressure before, there's a good chance you do now. The registered patients were also divided into 3 groups according to the value of peak systolic BP drop.The definition for what is considered high blood pressure has been tightened. Systolic BP was measured at the time of admission, then at 90 minutes, 6 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours of ED admission.

A peak drop in systolic BP was determined by taking the difference between the baseline systolic BP values and the lowest values during the first 48 hours of hospitalization. Check back for more from the AHA Scientific Sessions 2021.Įarly drop in systolic blood pressure (BP) during the first 48 hours of hospitalization is associated with all-cause mortality in patients with acute heart failure (HF), according to study results presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2021, held from November 13 to 15, 2021.įor the current study, researchers conducted a subanalysis of the Registry Focused on Very Early Presentation and Treatment in Emergency Department of Acute Heart Failure (REALITY-AHF) study, which registered patients with acute HF, who had been admitted through the emergency department (ED).

The team at Cardiology Advisor will be reporting on the latest news and research conducted by leading experts in cardiology. The following article is a part of conference coverage from the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2021, being held virtually from November 13 to 15, 2021.

Aha blood pressure chart