Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water! - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

zuzu8 · 05-14-2003, 09:24 PM

Hi everyone-
There was a HUGE article in May 14th New York Times regarding a NEW change in the guidelines for diagnosing hypertension.
To all of us who have been told that we are okay, they have added a NEW CATEGORY called "prehypertension".
This new category includes 45 million Americans whose blood pressure is 120 to 139 millimeters of mercury systolic (the top number) or 80 to 90 diastolic (the bottom number).

A statement issued by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute said the new recommendations were based on studies showing that artery damage can begin even at blood pressure levels that until recently were thought to be normal. They are saying that the risk of heart disease and stroke starts to rise at readings as low as 115/75, and doubles for each increase of 20/10 millimeters of mercury.

115/75???@#$#@!!!!!

So this means that the new report, from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, defines normal blood pressure as a reading BELOW 120/80 millimeters of mercury.

The report urges doctors and patients to take high blood pressure more seriously and treat it more aggressively, often with more than one drug.

Good lord...does that mean that all of us who have been so happy to have brought our pressure down to 120-135/80-85 shouldn't be so complacent?

The report was posted yesterday on JAMA's website (Journal of the American medical Association) and will be published in the May 21 edition of the Journal.
Info for patients in the meantime:
[url="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/index.htm"]http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/index.htm[/url]

zuzu xxx

Magpiezoe · 05-15-2003, 08:00 AM

Hello, I'm so glad you've posted this. This means that I have to worry about my hubby. His is 115/84. Do you happen to know when the best time is to measure your own blood pressure?

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Magpie

Moxie75 · 05-15-2003, 09:20 AM

ZuZu,

I have been hearing this on the news for 2 days now and I am shocked as well..We need to get it down to 117/70 I guess to be healthy.

Hey I took that Natural Calm Magnesium this morning and i swear that stuff worked 15 mintues after I took it..I have had only 1 palp this am so far..it felt so calm after taking it...Lisa

Delissa · 05-15-2003, 02:51 PM

I'm wondering if this is not something concocted by drug manufactueres to drum up more business.

I've heard that the acceptable cholesterol level was "anything under 260" at one time, and so many people fell into that category that they couldn't move their medicines.

The same happened with diabetes. The high end used to be something like a fasting blood glucose was considered normal at 130 and under,then they lowered it to 120 and now my doc says 110 is the high end for normal blood sugar.

I think that personally, I'm not going to worry too much about it.

ARIZONA73 · 05-15-2003, 03:56 PM

Delissa-- I think you've hit the nail on the head. It's just one big society-wide rip-off. The drug companies have both the money and the clout to influence changes which will result in billions of dollars more in profits! And you are right in that they also peddled similar lies in regards to the cholesterol fiasco!