New ACP/AAFP guidelines on treatment of hypertension in adults older than 60 years

New ACP/AAFP guidelines on treatment of hypertension in adults older than 60 years New clinical practice guidelines developed jointly by the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for the pharmacologic treatment of hypertension in adults aged 60 years or older have been released. Published January 17, 2017 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the guideline includes clinical recommendations based on the benefits and harms of higher versus lower blood pressure targets for the treatment of hypertension in adults aged 60 years or older. The treatment goals should be individualized. The three recommendations are: • Treatment should be started if the systolic blood pressure continues to be 150 mm Hg or higher to achieve a target systolic blood pressure of less than 150 mm Hg to reduce the risk for mortality, stroke, and cardiac events. • Start or intensify pharmacologic treatment if these patients have a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack to achieve a target systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg to reduce the risk for recurrent stroke. • Clinicians should consider initiating or intensifying pharmacologic treatment in some adults aged 60 years or older at high cardiovascular risk, based on individualized assessment, to achieve a target systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg to reduce the risk for stroke or cardiac events. (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)