from JAMA Internal Medicine
About one in three of us have high blood pressure, and for decades, common medical wisdom has been “the lower the better” in treating it. However, a study appearing in JAMA Internal Medicine questions just how low to go. Previous studies documented a progressive increase in risk of heart disease as systolic blood pressure (the top number) rose above one hundred fifteen. This study followed more than four thousand people for twenty-one years for development of a cardio event. It showed once systolic blood pressure is in the standard range--below one hundred forty, getting it under one hundred twenty does not further reduce the risk of a cardio event, such as stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Researchers caution that this was not a clinical trial and there may be other considerations involved in lowering blood pressure that you should discuss with your health care professional.