Reducing Blood Pressure To Aggressive Level Could Save Lives From Heart Disease

If blood pressure could be controlled more aggressively, heart disease and stroke of millions of Americans could be avoided, says a new study.

Researchers have found if the systolic blood pressure could be driven to levels far below the current guidelines, which means less than 120 and not just of 140 or 150 millimeters of mercury, lives of heart patients could be saved.

Details of the finding are published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

American Heart Association reported on Monday in a meeting in Orlando, Fla., the investigators found 26 percent fewer deaths and 38 percent fewer cases of heart failure after achieving systolic pressure target of 120 compared to the earlier 140 target.

According to cardiologist Marc Alan Pfeffer, not affiliated to the study, the new finding may be good news for millions of Americans having high blood pressure.

Pfeffer is at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He added until now older patients were patted by him if they could achieve systolic pressure of 136.

Data reveals one in three adults in US have high blood pressure, which is defined as systolic pressure. Reducing the pressure to a significant level is a challenge, said Judith Hochman, a cardiologist and senior associate dean for clinical sciences at New York University School of Medicine.

Meanwhile, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association have hinted to be coming up with new treatment guidelines in 2016.