Blood Pressure Guidelines Changed By American Heart Association

Almost Half of Americans Are Now in the High Blood Pressure Category

DULUTH, Minn. – Almost half of all Americans are now considered to have high blood pressure according to the new parameters released by the American Heart Association.

They say blood pressure should now be treated at 130/80 instead of 140/90.

About a third of Americans were in the high blood pressure category before, but after moving the guidelines it now includes forty-six percent of the population.

The American Heart Association hopes this will encourage people to get treatment earlier.

“It will be beneficial for patients to be proactive in their own control of risk factors long term because eighty percent of the U.S. population will have a prevalence of hypertension sometime in their life,” said Anemola Anghel, an Interventional Cardiologist at St. Luke’s in Duluth.

Doctors recommend checking your blood pressure at least once every year.