New rules say 46 percent of Americans have hypertension

Nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure according to new guidelines, with cardiologists saying Tuesday it offers an opportunity to promote better health.

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) redefined high blood pressure as a reading of 130 over 80. Guidelines published in 2003 said high blood pressure, or hypertension, was defined as a reading of 140 over 90, the top number being the systolic pressure reading and the bottom number being diastolic.

Blood pressure of 120 over 80 is still considered normal, with any systolic pressure reading up to 129 considered “elevated”.

Under the new guidelines published Monday, 46 percent of Americans now have hypertension compared to 32 percent under the former definition.

“Yes, we will label more people hypertensive and give more medication, but we will save lives and money by preventing more strokes, cardiovascular events and kidney failure,” Kenneth Jamerson, a hypertension specialist at the University of Michigan who was one of 21 experts who helped create the new guidelines, said in a statement.

“If you are going to put money into the healthcare system, it’s to everyone’s advantage if we treat and prevent on this side of it, in early treatment.”

Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at Yale University, said the new definition will radically change how primary care doctors interact with their patients.

"This guideline should guide discussions ... The days are pretty much over when doctors could walk into the office and tell people what to do, write a prescription and expect them to comply,” he said on Twitter Tuesday.

For the 46 percent of Americans now with high blood pressure, the AHA recommends doctors prescribe medication to keep the hypertension under control and that the patients exercise more and eat a healthier diet.

"We will need tools that help people make informed choices and customize the information to each person,” Krumholz added.