Hypertension: diagnostic threshold and cardiovascular risk
THE CONTEXT
Blood pressure is continuously distributed, so a diagnostic threshold must be interpreted alongside the individual's overall cardiovascular risk.
Blood pressure and the diagnostic threshold
•
Blood pressure follows a normal distribution in the general population.
•
The risks of stroke and coronary artery disease are closely related to blood pressure levels, without a specific cut-off at which risk suddenly increases.
•
The diagnostic threshold reflects the balance between cardiovascular complication risk and treatment benefits, weighed against treatment costs and potential side-effects.
•
The British Hypertension Society classification cited in the source defines hypertension as blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg. Similar thresholds are reported for the European Society of Hypertension and the WHO–International Society of Hypertension.
Individual cardiovascular risk
•
Risk associated with high blood pressure depends on the combination of age, sex, weight, physical activity, smoking, family history, serum cholesterol, diabetes mellitus and pre-existing vascular disease.