The Journal of American Medical Association has raised the systolic number for people over 60 to 150/90.
CNN reports that after 30 years of the goal being set at 140/90 there was overwhelming evidence that the number should be raised for older adults. Nobody knows exactly how many people this will affect, but it is suspected that millions of people will no longer need or qualify for blood pressure medication.
The panel called the Eighth Joint National Committee decided that it was increasingly difficult to lower the blood pressure of a person who is over 60 even with medication and it is not conclusive that it would increase life expectancy.
People under 60 are not affected by this change.
High blood pressure is a serious medical condition that can cause heart attacks, stroke or even death.
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