Key Points
Question
What would be the projected change in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in Canada using the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association blood pressure guidelines?
Findings
This cross-sectional study of 594 492 individuals in Canada estimated that lowering the diagnostic blood pressure cutoff to 130/80 mm Hg or greater and targeting less than 130/80 mm Hg would nearly double the crude prevalence of hypertension in Canadian adults (from 24.2% to 42.4%), mostly affecting individuals at low to moderate cardiovascular risk.
Meaning
Redefining hypertension may result in a considerable change in the epidemiology of hypertension in Canada.
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