Nearly half of U.S. adults should receive earlier treatment for high blood pressure, including lifestyle changes and medications, according to a set of new guidelines issued by America's top heart health groups.
The guidelines call for early and more individualized treatment for the nearly 47% of Americans who have an average blood pressure of 130/80 mm/Hg or higher, says the joint report by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.
"High blood pressure is the most common and most modifiable risk factor for heart disease," said Dr. Daniel Jones, who chaired the committee that wrote the guidelines. He's dean and professor emeritus of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson.
"By addressing individual risks earlier and offering more tailored strategies across the lifespan, the 2025 guideline aims to aid clinicians in helping more people manage their blood pressure and reduce the toll of heart disease, kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes and dementia," Jones added in a news release.
The new guidelines are an update from the last set issued in 2017 by the AHA and ACC, which lowered the threshold for high blood pressure from 140/90 to 130/80.
