How To Make Sense Of Confusing, New Blood Pressure Advice --- If you're confused about the latest recommendations for treating high blood pressure, take heart. Doctors are confused, too. -- On Wednesday, a panel of specialists called the Eighth Joint National Committee published guidelines saying that many people over 60 don't need to start taking medications to lower blood pressure until it's above 150/90 millimeters of mercury. -- If doctors follow the advice, they'll be less likely to prescribe blood pressure drugs to people at milder risk for heart problems. -- Why? There's a lack of conclusive evidence that using drugs to get pressures lower than that will reduce a person's risk of heart attack and stroke — or increase life expectancy. -- That's a substantial change from the current recommendation for all adults to get their systolic blood pressure (the first number) below 140, which is endorsed by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, two big medical professional societies. People with diabetes or kidney disease were told to go even lower, to 130. -- In the new guidelines, the systolic goal for adults under 60 remains at 140, but it wipes out the lower target for people with diabetes and kidney disease. - More, NPR, at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/12/19/255525227/how-to-make-sense-of-confusing-new-blood-pressure-advice