(Reuters Health) — National guidelines help doctors decide how to treat high blood pressure. But tailoring those guidelines to better fit individuals could prevent many more heart attacks and strokes, say developers of a computer model that makes those calculations.
Their study, published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, estimated the effects of using “individualized guidelines” to make decisions on treating high blood pressure.
It found that the tailored approach could prevent 43 percent more heart attacks and strokes than the simpler, general recommendations used now.
Currently, U.S. guidelines recommend treatment if blood pressure rises above 140/90 mm Hg, or above 130/80 mm Hg if a person has diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Doctors generally add their own judgment to that decision as well. If, for instance, a person has slightly elevated blood pressure but is otherwise at low risk for heart problems, then lifestyle changes might be enough.
But the new study looked at a more sophisticated way of estimating individual patients’ needs. Researchers used a computer-based “risk calculator” that took into account a person’s age, cholesterol levels, family history of heart disease and any diabetes diagnosis.
It also factored in what’s known about different types of patients’ responses to various blood pressure medications.
The researchers then used data from a long-term study of 15,800 Americans to estimate the effects of applying the individualized guidelines.
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Physicians need to know the normal blood pressure of that particular patient! My blood pressure in my left arm is 80/50 and when I get to 120/76 this is already felt as high blood pressure to me!
Why aren’t all doctors aware of this! 120/80 is good blood pressure for a lot of people but not for me!
Thank you!
it would help if doctors would slow down and work more with patients to tailor their medicine. Example: My prescription medication was causing diarrhea,depression,and insomnia. Instead of cutting back on my medication they prescribed depression drugs,Ambrien for sleep and told me to take Peto-Bismo. After suffering for 2 years I cut back on a Beta-Blocker and eliminated another HBP drug and solved my problems myself. My blood pressure is excellent with half the medication the stupid doctors had me on.