Hypertension New blood pressure targets soon in Germany?

German Hypertension League reviews new blood pressure targets in the US
American medical societies already classify blood pressure values ​​of 130 to 139 mmHg systolic and 80 to 89 mmHg diastolic as grade 1 hypertension. The German Hypertension League (DHL®) will carefully review the new recommendations, but advocates setting moderate targets for blood pressure reduction.

One of the cornerstones of the new American guideline is that patients who are diagnosed with high blood pressure will soon be able to adjust their lifestyle in order to normalize their blood pressure levels or, if that is not possible, to be medicated. However, the new recommendations in Germany are still waiting or critical.

Frequently, low blood pressure is discovered by chance during a medical examination. (Image: Bits and Splits / fotolia.com)

In Germany, 20-30 million people are affected by hypertension. The currently valid definition of high blood pressure is so far the presence of a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and / or a diastolic blood pressure value of 90 mmHg or higher.

It has been known for decades that the risk of cardiovascular disease in the general population increases significantly from blood pressure values ​​of more than 115/75 mmHg, which means that the risk of developing the disease already exists in the high normal blood pressure range. Therefore, setting the target blood pressure reduction targets is and has always been a matter of judgment. Based on the study, the German Hypertension League currently recommends lowering blood pressure to below 140/90 mmHg and below 135/85 mmHg in cardiovascular (high) risk patients.

"Lowering the blood pressure limit below 130/80 mmHg, as suggested in the US, would sensitize sufferers and physicians to the moderately increased risk of cardiovascular disease already present at these blood pressure levels. This could stimulate early lifestyle changes such as weight loss, low-salt diet, healthy diet and exercise, "says Professor. med. Bernhard Krämer, DHL® CEO.

"On the other hand, lowering blood pressure limits significantly more people than previously classified as patients. So far, however, there is no evidence that the drug lowering blood pressure for most people with high normal blood pressure values ​​has positive effects. Of course, even with a high normal blood pressure, lifestyle changes can be made without having to classify the patient as a high-pressure patient, "adds the CEO.

The German High Pressure League and the European high-pressure specialized companies will now include the current proposals from the USA in their reflections on the revision of their guidelines.

"However, due to the expanded data according to SPRINT as well as related publications and meta-analyzes, we still recommend a general target value of less than 135/85 mmHg in a self-measurement," says Professor Dr. med. med. Peter Trenkwalder, Deputy DHL® CEO and Member of the Task Force Scientific Opinions and Guidelines of DHL®. In Germany, moderate target blood pressure is currently achieved in less than 60 percent of patients. "The most important treatment goal for all doctors must therefore be that this blood pressure target is achieved," says the expert.