JNC8 Hypertension Treatment Threshold Too High for Seniors

(HealthDay News) — For people 60 and older, the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC8) in 2014 recommended raising the blood pressure level at which doctors prescribe treatment from 140 to 150 systolic blood pressure. But individuals with systolic blood pressure of 140 to 149 have a 70% increased risk of stroke compared to people with lower blood pressure, according to research published online in Hypertension.

Ralph Sacco, MD, chair of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and colleagues launched their new study in response to the JNC8 recommendations. The research team gathered data on 1,750 participants aged 60 and older in the Northern Manhattan Study; none had diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

During about 13 years of follow-up, 182 people suffered a stroke. The researchers concluded that having a systolic blood pressure of 140 to 149 elevated stroke risk as much as having systolic blood pressure greater than 150. Increased stroke risk was most notable among Hispanics and blacks.

“Our findings support adherence to current American Heart Association treatment guidelines,” Sacco told HealthDay. Those guidelines recommend starting medication at 140 systolic or higher.

Source

1. Dong C, Della-Morte D, Rundek T, Wright CB, Elkind MSV, and Sacco RL. Evidence to Maintain the Systolic Blood Pressure Treatment Threshold at 140 mm Hg for Stroke Prevention. Hypertension. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.115.06857.