JAMA Guidelines for Treatment of Hypertension

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Some points highlighted from the report:

• In persons older than 50 years, systolic blood pressure (BP) of more than 140 mm Hg is a much more important cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor than diastolic BP
• Stage 1 Hypertension: 140-159/90-99; Treatment: Thiazide-type diuretics should be used as initial therapy for most patients with hypertension, either alone or in combination with 1 of the other classes (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, {beta}-blockers, CCBs)