5/23/2016 American Heart Association backs current BP treatments

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American Heart Association backs current BP treatments High Blood Pressure

4 Updated:Oct 26,2015 Home

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About High Blood Pressure (HBP)

A report published late in 2013 recommends healthcare
providers take a new approach to treating high blood Why HBP Matters
pressure for people older than 60. But based on the
current research available, the American Heart Your Risk for HBP
Association recommends that healthcare providers
continue to follow existing guidelines for treating high Symptoms, Diagnosis & Monitoring of HBP
blood pressure.
Prevention & Treatment of HBP
We believe theres just not enough evidence at this point
to justify such a major change in how we treat people with Introduction
high blood pressure, American Heart Association Past
President Mariell Jessup, M.D., said of the new opinion Diet
published in the Journal of the American Medical - Shaking the Salt Habit
Association.
- Potassium
One in three American adults has high blood pressure, which is a reading of 140/90 millimeters of mercury or - Alcohol
higher. The opinion published in JAMA advises treatment at 140/90 for adults from ages 30 to 59, but starting only
at 150/90 for people 60 and older. The American Heart Association maintains its recommendation of initiating Physical Activity
treatment starting with lifestyle changes and then medication if necessary at 140/90 until age 80, then at Stress
150/90.
Weight Management
High blood pressure is undertreated and underdiagnosed among all races and genders, and those with high Tobacco
blood pressure often face serious cardiovascular problems such as stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Lower
Hot Tubs & Saunas
blood pressures are strongly associated with a lower incidence of heart disease and strokes.
Medications
Much of our great success in reducing deaths from stroke has been attributed to better blood pressure control,
- OTC Medications
said Jessup, the medical director of the Penn Heart and Vascular Center, professor of medicine and associate
chief of clinical affairs in Cardiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. - Managing Prescriptions
- Types of Medications
However, even with the current target of less than 140, many individuals have high blood pressure that is out of
control, and they continue to be at serious risk, especially for heart failure and for stroke, she said. If the target is Keeping HBP Under Control
raised, almost certainly blood pressure in many people will be even higher.
HBP Tools & Resources
Elliott Antman, M.D., President of the American Heart Association, said the new recommendation could expose
many more people to health-related problems from high blood pressure. HBP Website Sponsors

Hypertension influences a persons health status over a time horizon that is much longer than the follow-up of
many of the randomized controlled trials included in the evidence review, said Antman, professor of medicine and
associate dean for Clinical/Translational Research at Harvard Medical School and a senior physician in the
Related Tools
Cardiovascular Division of the Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. Therefore its not surprising that we
still have uncertainty about the optimal way to evaluate and manage hypertension. HBP Risk Calculator

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released four cardiovascular treatment HBP Trackers
guidelines for healthcare providers in November 2013, and some time in 2014 or early 2015 they will be updating Videos
their high blood pressure guidelines as well. The new report that was published in JAMA, the evidence review it
Quizzes
was based on and an update of that review will be taken into consideration for those guidelines, which will be the
national standard for treating hypertension. Animations
Resources in Print
Until then, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recognize the most recent
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hypertension guidelines, published in 2004 by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation,
and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, as the national standard. Follow us on Facebook

Talking to your doctor or other healthcare provider about the best treatment plan for your high blood pressure is
key.

The American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
Sign up for Heart360
and Prevention recently published a simple approach for clinicians to use to safely control high blood pressure.

This approach was developed by an expert panel and contains a treatment algorithm or flow chart to help doctors
treat patients with hypertension.

We wanted road-tested evidence of programs and patient care strategies that work to bring blood pressure under
control, Jessup said. Its a useful tool to help people bring blood pressure down to a healthy level.

The American Heart Association has a variety of tools that can help you control your blood pressure. This
infographic can help you understand what you need to do to make healthy lifestyle changes, like knowing your
numbers, losing weight, getting active and reducing sodium. You can also learn more information about
controlling high blood pressure.

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5/23/2016 American Heart Association backs current BP treatments

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