New blood pressure guidelines mean nearly half of Americans will be diagnosed with high blood pressure, rising from 32 percent under the old guidelines to 46 percent under the new benchmarks.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll all need medication to control it, medical experts say.
Under the new guidelines, written by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, 130 over 80 is considered the tipping point for having high blood pressure. Previously, the standard was 140 over 90.
The new standards are designed to help people get their blood pressure under control earlier. Also called hypertension, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke—the two leading causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Although treatment recommendations must come from your own doctor, treatment guidelines for high blood pressure are as follows, according to the American Heart Association:
| Blood pressure diagnosis | Blood pressure number | Recommendations |
| Normal blood pressure | 120 over 80 | Maintain healthy lifestyle, be checked yearly |
| Elevated blood pressure | 120-129 over 80 | Make healthy lifestyle changes, be reassessed in 3-6 months |
| High blood pressure stage 1 | 130-139 over 80-89 | Have a 10-year heart disease and stroke risk assessment. If less than 10 percent risk, make lifestyle changes and be reassessed in 3-6 months. If higher than 10 percent risk, make lifestyle changes combined with medication and monthly follow-ups until blood pressure is controlled |
| High blood pressure stage 2 | 140 or higher over 90 or higher | Make lifestyle changes combined with two classes of medicine and monthly follow-ups until blood pressure is controlled |
This is the first time since 2003 that the guidelines have been revised.
If you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure under the new guidelines, many options can help lower it. Medication is sometimes needed, but blood pressure often can be controlled by making healthy lifestyle changes.
How to lower your blood pressure
Medicate
Patients already on medication might need to take a larger dose or a combination of pills to lower their systolic (upper) number to the 120 mark. The most common medicines are ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and diuretics.
Lose weight
Weight loss can lower blood pressure about as much as taking a single blood pressure medication, according to Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
Exercise
Along with weight loss, regular exercise is probably the best way to lower blood pressure. Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger, enabling it to pump more blood with less effort, according to Mayo Clinic. That lessens the force on your arteries and lowers blood pressure.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. You don’t have to exercise that amount of time all at once. You can combine shorter amounts to hit the total, but shoot for at least 30 minutes of activity on most days.
Cut salt intake
Most people eat too much sodium without realizing it. The average American adult eats about 3,400 mg of sodium a day, well beyond the AHA’s recommendations of a maximum of 2,300 mg per day and ideally less than 1,500 mg per day. The top six foods that add the most salt to your diet: breads and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, poultry, soup, and sandwiches.
Eat the DASH diet
The National Institutes of Health developed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, or DASH. This diet is high in fruits, vegetables, and fiber but low in sodium.
Limit alcohol
Having more than three alcoholic drinks in one sitting increases blood pressure, and repeated binge drinking can lead to long-term increases, according to Mayo Clinic. The AHA recommends women stick to one alcoholic drink a day and men to two.
Meditate
Regular meditation practices that reduce anxiety also can reduce systolic blood pressure.