The definition of hypertension was recently changed by the American College of Cardiology – American Heart Association to a systolic arterial pressure of more than 130 mm Hg, a diastolic pressure of more than 80 mm Hg, or both.
New Diagnostic and Treatment Criteria for Hypertension in Adults
| Blood-Pressure Category |
Blood Pressure (mmHg) | Treatment† |
| Normal | <120 systolic and <80 diastolic | Promote good lifestyle habits |
| Elevated | 120-129 systolic and <80 diastolic | Promote lifestyle modifications for 3–6 mo before initiating drug therapy |
| Hypertension | ≥130/80 | Promote lifestyle modifications and initiate drug therapy, according to degree of blood-pressure elevation and 10-yr ASCVD risk |
| Stage 1 | 130–139 systolic or 80–89 diastolic | If 10-yr ASCVD risk is <10%, promote lifestyle modifications for 1 month before initiating drug therapy to reach target blood pressure of <120/80 mm Hg; if risk is ≥10%, initiate drug therapy and promote lifestyle modifications |
| Stage 2 | ≥140 systolic or ≥90 diastolic | Initiate drug therapy and promote lifestyle modifications |
† ASCVD denotes atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
References:
- Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/ AAPA/ABC/ ACPM/AGS/ APhA/ASH/ ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines [published correction appears in Hypertension. 2018 Jun;71(6):e136-e139] [published correction appears in Hypertension. 2018 Sep;72(3):e33]. Hypertension. 2018;71(6):1269–1324. [Medline]
- Carey RM, Whelton PK; 2017 ACC/AHA Hypertension Guideline Writing Committee. Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: Synopsis of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Hypertension Guideline. Ann Intern Med. 2018;168(5):351–358. [Medline]
- Writing Committee Members*; Jones DW, Ferdinand KC, Taler SJ, Johnson HM, Shimbo D, Abdalla M, Altieri MM, Bansal N, Bello NA, Bress AP, Carter J, Cohen JB, Collins KJ, Commodore-Mensah Y, Davis LL, Egan B, Khan SS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Melnyk BM, Mistry EA, Ogunniyi MO, Schott SL, Smith SC Jr, Talbot AW, Vongpatanasin W, Watson KE, Whelton PK, Williamson JD. 2025 AHA/ACC/AANP/AAPA/ABC/ACCP/ACPM/AGS/AMA/ASPC/NMA/PCNA/SGIM Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Hypertension. 2025 Oct;82(10):e212-e316. [Medline]
Created Feb 10, 2020.
Up-date Jan 09, 2026.
