The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have put out new advice on how to diagnose, prevent, manage, and treat high blood pressure. These new rules say that people should start making changes to their lifestyle, and, in some cases, take medicine when their blood pressure reading hits 130/70 mm Hg instead of the old standard of 140/90 mm Hg.
It used to be that adults’ blood pressure (BP) couldn’t be higher than 140 mmHg for systolic pressure (SBP) and 90 mmHg for diastolic pressure (DBP). These new recommendations aim to pinpoint those most at risk for hypertension and its consequences for the cardiovascular system, and start treatments and adjustments to lifestyle earlier. Dr. Mary Greene, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology in NYC, contributes to this article. Read the article.