Illawarra cardiologist Professor Leonard Arnolda has helped inform new national guidelines on the management of high blood pressure.
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One of the main changes to the National Heart Foundation guidelines is a reduction in the blood pressure target for some people with hypertension – from 140 to 120.
Professor Arnolda, clinical director of the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, said the guidelines would provide GPs with the latest evidence when dealing with patients with high blood pressure.
‘’The last time there was a full review of the guidelines was in 2008, and since then there’s been new evidence that has come out in regards to management of hypertension,’’ Professor Arnolda said.
‘’One study focused on the effect of blood pressure in groups of people at increased risk of stroke and heart attack.
‘’This led to the recommendation for a target blood pressure of less than 120mmHg in these high risk patient groups.’’
However, Professor Arnolda said it was important for health professionals to take several readings, to negate the ‘’white coat effect’’.
‘’It’s important for health professionals to be measuring under conditions where blood pressure is not falsely elevated,’’ he said.
‘’They should try and get readings while patients are not at the clinic to circumvent the ‘white coat effect’ – where pressure is higher because a doctor or nurse is in the room.
‘’Otherwise there’s the danger that in trying to reach low blood pressure targets in patients one might actually lower blood pressure too much and cause fainting with injury.’’
Professor Arnolda said there was no one-size-fits-all approach to the management of high blood pressure, but the guidelines would help give GPs options.
He said regular exercise and healthy eating were the best methods of controlling hypertension, followed by blood-pressure lowering medications in serious cases.