The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued new guidelines for high blood pressure, including earlier intervention with medication.

High blood pressure (including stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension) affects nearly half (46.7%) of all adults in the U.S. and is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and around the world.

The blood pressure criteria remain the same as the previous 2017 guideline:

1. normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg;
2. elevated blood pressure is 120-129 mm Hg and <80 mm Hg;
3. stage 1 hypertension is 130-139 mm Hg or 80-89 mm Hg; and
4. stage 2 hypertension is ?140 mm Hg or ?90 mm Hg.

However, under the new guidelines released in August, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology advises earlier treatment that includes lifestyle modification and medications as appropriate.

The new guideline also reinforces the importance of healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as eating a nutritious diet, being physically active and maintaining or achieving a healthy weight.

The new guideline reflects several major changes since 2017, including use of the AHA’s PREVENT risk calculator to estimate the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is the first risk calculator that combines measures of cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health to estimate risk for cardiovascular disease.

The new guideline also acknowledges new research that links the increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline to high blood pressure.

The new guideline also suggests a few important changes to laboratory testing for initial evaluation, including a test that assesses kidney health.

The AHA also now recognizes that the use of specific medications, including newer ones such as GLP-1 medications, may be helpful for overweight or obese patients with high blood pressure. (WKTY)