Re-Evaluate Blood Pressure Goals With New Hypertension Guidelines

New hypertension guidelines will reignite controversy about appropriate BP goals and when to start treatment.

We're used to thinking of a BP goal of less than 140/90 mmHg for most patients. In 2013, JNC 8 actually relaxed the goal to less than 150/90 for patients age 60 or older withOUT diabetes or kidney disease.

Now the new Am College of Cardiology and Am Heart Assn guidelines recommend a stricter goal of less than 130/80 across the board...mainly due to recent evidence that a lower target may further lower CV risk. And they recommend using the ACC/AHA risk estimator to evaluate CV risk.