In November 2017, The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released new treatment guidelines that call for lowering the threshold for diagnosing high blood pressure from 140/90 to 130/80. The guidelines state that for most new diagnoses, the appropriate treatment will be lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and reducing dietary sodium, as opposed to taking medication. See the upcoming February 2018 issue of the newsletter for details on the new guideline and how to keep blood pressure in check with physical activity and a healthy eating pattern.
