USA committee re-defines high blood pressure risk
16 May 2003
A US committee that advises on the prevention and management of high blood pressure (hypertension) has dramatically lowered the definition of the ‘safe’ blood pressure level — above which the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, is thought to increase — to 115/70 mmHg.
This new recommendation is included in the 7th report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, published this week in the on-line version of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The report suggests that for every 20/10 mmHg increment in blood pressure above this new safe level there is a doubling in the risk of cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attack, stroke, and other blood vessel disorders.
Currently, the Australian Heart Foundation defines optimal blood pressure as less than 120/80 mmHg, while their definition of high blood pressure — above 140/90 mmHg — is based on the level above which treatment is recommended.
The US committee’s report also includes a recommendation that people with a blood pressure reading between 120/80 and 139/89 mmHg be considered ‘pre-hypertensive’ and be advised to make health-promoting lifestyle changes to prevent cardiovascular disease.
The Australian Heart Foundation currently recommends lifestyle advice for people whose blood pressure is above 130/85 mmHg.
This lifestyle advice usually includes losing weight, increasing physical activity, limiting the intake of alcohol and salty foods, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy, low-fat diet.
Last Reviewed: 16 May 2003
- 1. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: the JNC 7 report. JAMA 2003; 289 (18): 2560-72.
