Impact of the new criteria of the ACC/AHA on the diagnostic prevalence of hypertension.

Objective: To study the impact on the prevalence of hypertension with the criteria (2017) of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA).

Patients And Methods: Cross-sectional study, including 370 patients ≥18 years, randomly selected in a Health Centre, with at least one visit and a measurement of systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) recorded the last 2 years. Previous hypertension was considered if the diagnosis was confirmed or they had an SBP ≥140 or DBP ≥90mmHg and as ACC/AHA AHT criteria in any of these cases or an SBP between 130-139mmHg or DBP between 80-89mmHg.

Results: The average age was 52.3 years (58.6% women). Forty-one point nine percent had previous hypertension, increasing to 67.8% with the ACC/AHA criteria (p <.05). Pharmacological treatment was received by 32.2% of the population, increasing to 38.4% with the ACC/AHA criteria (p>.05). The newly diagnosed patients (p <.05) were younger (mean difference 19.6 years) and less obese (23% vs. 41.4%).

Conclusions: The ACC/AHA criteria would represent an increase of 25.9% in the prevalence of hypertension, considering 2 out of 3 adults hypertensive.