Recommendations for Treatment of Blood Pressue

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP),USA, have come out with recommendations to treat Hypertension. Control of systolic blood pressure is as important as control of Diastolic blood pressure. This is a crucial message for health care providers, patients, and their families. For many years, the importance of lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 140 mm Hg has been overlooked and under-emphasized.

This new NHBPEP advisory points out the overwhelming evidence that lowering systolic blood pressure can save lives. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious condition that affects 50 million Americans i.e, one in four adults. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the first- and third-leading causes of death among Americans. It also can lead to other conditions, such as congestive heart failure, kidney damage, dementia, and blindness. The advisory also agrees with current NHBPEP guidelines that recommend diuretics as a first-line treatment for ISH and the need to individualize treatment. Other recommendations in the new advisory are: (a). Blood pressure at all ages should be kept at below 140/90. (b). Treatment for hypertension must begin early to prevent organ damage - whatever the patient’s age. (c). In hypertensives with diabetes, blood pressure should be kept below 130/85; and, in those with renal failure or heart failure, at the lowest level tolerated.