[nurseT]

Last nigt on the local news they were reporting that the AHA has now decided that a B/P of 120 to 139 over 80 to 89 is going to be labled " prehypertension". Has anyone else heard this? I'm confused. Those are good B/P's. My first thoughts were that a pharmaceuticle company has come up with this to sell more drugs. What do you think?

[colleen10]

I did hear about it on the news briefly but I haven't had a chance to read up on it or see a whole T.V. segment on it.

So far my understanding is that they have "re-drawn" the lines of acceptable BP's.

[2ndCareerRN]

I think the reasoning is because people (younger) who run in these numbers are more prone to developing hypertension as they age. Of course, they become more sedentary, and their diet changes. Just some of the things a vigorous education campaign may be able to change in some people.

This could open up a whole new marketing arena for the drug companies and the "not quite" (supplement) drug companies. Prehypertension, prearthiritis, prereflux, why just about pre anything. Up to pre-death.

On the other hand, I can see the reasoning. The cost of uncontrolled hypertension in the US is staggering. Blindness, kidney disease and strokes come up to the top of the pile pretty quick when one thinks of hypertension. If this helps prevent some people from having untreated hypertension then it is probably a good thing, IMO .

bob

[nurse-lou]

Hmm....I was just at my doctor's office this am and my bp was 154/104!!!! YIKES!!!! Course, I HAVE been up all night after working 12 long hours with a 3 pt assignment in an ICU!!!!!!!!!! Plus I had 5 cans of caffeinated beverages and 3 hot dogs! Normally my BP is 120's /60-70's. Doc told me I need to exercise. I said running up and down the hall and lifting 200lb pt's in bed isn't exercise enough? He was NOT amused.

[Liann]

If people wont willingly diet and exercise, then I guess health care providers will demand that they be medicated for life. Sounds like more pharm sales to me...at a time when more and more people have NO prescription coverage.

Not to mention side effects and interactions of all these drugs....sheesh.

[Nurse Ratched]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/913324.asp?0si=-

Here's a link for those interested.

[moonshadeau]

Here is the link that I found from the American Medical Association that on one side talks about the new numbers and on the other talks about the increase in HTN in America and Europe.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/

[sjoe]

"This could open up a whole new marketing arena for the drug companies and the "not quite" (supplement) drug companies. Prehypertension, prearthiritis, prereflux, why just about pre anything. Up to pre-death."

My thoughts as well, and it also serves to explain why this is getting so much publicity.

[nurse-lou]

I checked my BP later Thursday at home and it was down to 130's over 80's. But I'll be checking it at work all next week and faxing him the results cause I ain't about to start taking antihypertensives at age 30 almost 31. Sure, I'm overweight but only by about 50 lbs.