Effect of new guideline on US adults recommended for high blood pressure treatment

Bottom Line: The number of U.S. adults with high blood pressure is estimated to grow by 31 million and the number of adults recommended for antihypertensive treatment would increase by 11 million under the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association hypertension guideline.

Why The Research Is Interesting: The 2017 guideline defines high blood pressure as a blood pressure level greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg compared with a level greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg in a 2014 evidence-based guideline from a joint national committee.

Who and When: U.S. adults with hypertension or recommended for antihypertensive treatment under the 2014 and 2017 hypertension guidelines.

What (Study Measures): Estimates of the effects of the 2014 and 2017 hypertension guideline on proportions of adults defined as having high blood pressure or recommended for antihypertensive treatment, as well as reductions in CVD and deaths.

How (Study Design): An analysis of national data.

Authors: Jiang He, M.D., Ph.D., Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, and coauthors

Study Limitations: Insufficient sample size from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and other studies that were used to reliably estimate the effect of the new guideline within subgroups.

Related material: The editorial, "Blood Pressure Control-Much Has Been Achieved, Much Remains to Be Done," by Lawrence J. Fine, M.D., Dr.P.H., National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, and coauthors, and the Editor's Note, "The New Hypertension Guidelines," by Clyde W.Yancy, M.D., M.Sc., and Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., are also available on the For The Media website.

For more details and to read the full study, please visit the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.1240)

Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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