Doctors now recognize that complications "can occur at those lower numbers," said the first update to comprehensive US guidelines on blood pressure detection and treatment since 2003. The new standard means that nearly half (46 percent) of the US population will be defined as having high blood pressure. The normal limit for blood pressure is considered 120 for systolic, or how much pressure the blood places on the artery walls when the heart beats, and 80 for diastolic, which is measured between beats. - People in 40s most affected -Once considered mainly a disorder among people 50 and older, the new guidelines are expected to lead to a surge of people in their 40s with high blood pressure. "The prevalence of high blood pressure is expected to triple among men under age 45, and double among women under 45," according to the report.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 13, 2017 23:37 UTC