AHA Updates Guidance on Medication Use for Elevated BP

The American Heart Association has released a new scientific statement addressing use of medication in individuals with slightly elevated blood pressure that is not resolved with 6 months of healthy lifestyle changes.

The new statement updates the 2017 treatment guidelines, now including recommendations for individuals with stage 1 high blood pressure, classified as 130-139/80-89 mm Hg. Specifically, this recommendation is applicable to patients with a low (less than 10%) 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke, a demographic that was excluded from prior recommendation statements.

Blood pressure lowering medication should be used in addition to continuing the lifestyle changes in this patient population. Approximately 10% of adults within the United States will fall under this new recommendation statement.

Further, the scientific statement notes that individuals who used blood pressure lowering medication in childhood and adolescence may have a higher risk of developing markers for later cardiovascular disease. Clinicians should re-evaluate the need for blood pressure lowering medication for these patients in young adulthood.

“We want clinicians to advise patients to take healthy lifestyle changes seriously and do their best,” the statement writers concluded. “We certainly prefer to achieve blood pressure goals without adding medication; however, successfully treating high blood pressure does extend both years and quality of life.”

—Leigh Precopio

Reference:

If slightly high blood pressure doesn’t respond to lifestyle change, medication can help. News release. American Heart Association; April 29, 2021. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/if-slightly-high-blood-pressure-doesnt-respond-to-lifestyle-change-medication-can-help?preview=8cb5