What changes are in the new hypertension guideline released by AHA and ACC?

A new guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation and management of high blood pressure (BP) lead by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) has been released. It was endorsed by 11 U.S. medical associations. It is available in Circulation, Hypertension and JACC.Much is reiterated from the previous 2017 ACC-AHA guidelines, emphasizing prevention via healthy lifestyle behaviours, and early treatment for those with high blood pressure. But it does bring in a few changes such as recommending the use of the AHA’s PREVENT risk calculator to estimate a person’s risk of a heart attack, stroke or heart failure and updated medication guidance. PREVENT was developed by the AHA in 2023 and is a tool for estimating 10- and 30-year risk of cardiovascular disease in people ages 30-to-79 years.It includes variables such as age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other health indicators, and also include postal codes which are used as a proxy for social determinants of health. “It is the first risk calculator that combines measures of cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health to estimate risk for cardiovascular disease,” according to a statement from the AHA which includes a summary of the guideline.The guideline also recommends two new changes to laboratory testing for initial evaluation and treatment considerations.One is the ratio of urine albumin and creatinine, which is now recommended for all patients with high BP. In previous guidelines, it was listed as an optional test.The second is an expansion of the indication for the plasma aldosterone-to-renin ratio test as a screening tool for primary aldosteronism in more patients, primarily people with obstructive sleep apnea.It also suggests primary aldosteronism screening may be considered in adults with stage 2 hypertension which can help with better detection, diagnosis and targeted treatment.The blood pressure criteria remain the same as the 2017 guideline:Normal blood pressure: less than 120/80 mm Hg;Elevated blood pressure: 120-129 mm Hg and

What changes are in the new hypertension guideline released by AHA and ACC?

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