Impact of 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on prevalence of hypertension and eligibility for antihypertensive treatment in United States and China: nationally representative cross sectional study

Cardiovascular events according to blood pressure thresholds recommended by ACC/AHA

AIM

The latest guidelines from ACC/AHA define hypertension at systolic blood pressure (SBP) 130-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 80-89 mmHg in contrast to guidelines from ESC/ESH defining hypertension at SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg. The aim was to determine whether the ACC/AHA definition of hypertension identifies persons at elevated risk for future cardiovascular outcome.

METHODS

In a Danish prospective cardiovascular study, 19,721 white men and women aged 20-98 years were examined up to five occasions between 1976 and 2015. The population was followed until December 2018. The ACC/AHA definition of the BP levels were applied: Normal: SBP <120 mmHg and DBP <80 mmHg, Elevated: SBP 120-129 mmHg and DBP <80 mmHg, Stage 1: SBP 130-139 mmHg or DBP 80-89 mmHg, Stage 2: SBP ≥140 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg. Absolute 10-year risk was calculated taking repeated examinations, covariates, and competing risk into account.

RESULTS

For all outcomes, the 10-year risk in stage 1 hypertension did not differ significantly from risk in subjects with normal BP: The 10-year risk of cardiovascular events in stage 1 hypertension was 14.1% [95% CI 13.2;15.0] and did not differ significantly from the risk in normal BP at 12.8% [95% CI 11.1;14.5] (p = 0.19). The risk was highest in stage 2 hypertension 19.4% [95% CI 18.9;20.0] and differed significantly from normal BP, elevated BP, and stage 1 hypertension (p < 0.001). The 10-year risk of cardiovascular death was 6.6% [95% CI 5.9;7.4] in stage 1 hypertension and did not differ significantly from the risk in normal BP at 5.7% [95% CI 4.1;7.3] (p = 0.33).

CONCLUSIONS

Stage 1 hypertension as defined by the ACC/AHA guidelines has the same risk for future cardiovascular events as normal BP. In contrast, the definition of hypertension as suggested by ESC/ESH identifies patients with elevated risk of cardiovascular events.

Opportunities and Limitations of Renal Denervation: Where Do We Stand?

Hypertension is a primary contributor to cardiovascular disease, and the leading risk factor for loss of quality adjusted life years. Up to 50% of the cases of hypertension in the United States remain uncontrolled. Additionally, 8%-18% of the hypertensive population have resistant hypertension; uncontrolled pressure despite 3 different antihypertensive agents. Recently, catheter-based percutaneous renal denervation emerged as a method for ablating renal sympathetic nerves for difficult-to-control hypertension. Initial randomized (non-sham) trials and registry analyses showed impressive benefit, but the first sham-controlled randomized controlled trial using monopolar radiofrequency ablation showed limited benefit. With refinement of techniques to include multipolar radiofrequency, ultrasound denervation, and direct ethanol injection, randomized controlled trials demonstrated significant blood pressure improvement, leading to US Food and Drug Administration approval of radiofrequency- and ultrasound-based denervation technologies. In this review article, we summarize the major randomized sham-controlled trials and societal guidelines regarding the efficacy and safety of renal artery denervation for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension.

Antihypertensive utilization patterns among pregnant persons with pre-existing hypertension in the US: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Hypertension among persons with childbearing potential is on the rise. Maintaining proper blood pressure during pregnancy is vital to prevent maternal and neonatal complications. Yet, limited evidence on the risk-benefit of various antihypertensives presents challenges for informed decision-making during this critical period. This study aimed to examine the utilization patterns of different classes of antihypertensives among persons with pre-existing hypertension before, during, and after pregnancy.

METHODS

We used MarketScan® Commercial Database 2011-2020 to analyze antihypertensive utilization among pregnant persons aged 12 to 55 identified via a validated algorithm. Pre-existing hypertension was defined as ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient encounters for hypertension within the 180 days preceding the LMP. Antihypertensive utilization was described during target periods: 0-3 months (0-3M) before pregnancy, 1st/2nd/3rd trimester (T1/2/3), 0-3M, and 4-6M after pregnancy.

RESULTS

We identified 1,950,292 pregnancies, of which 20,576 (12,978 live and 7,598 non-live) had pre-existing hypertension. Both groups had similar antihypertensive use (80.1% and 81.0%, respectively) during the 6 months before pregnancy (baseline). For live-birth pregnancies, 13.9% of baseline users discontinued treatment during pregnancy, while 28.9% of non-users initiated antihypertensives during pregnancy, and 17.2% started postpartum. Before pregnancy, the predominant antihypertensives included thiazide diuretics (21.9%), combined α- and β-blockers (18.4%), and dihydropyridines (16.2%). During pregnancy, thiazide diuretics, cardioselective β-blockers, and ACE inhibitors declined (T3: 3.0%, 4.2%, and 0.8%). Dihydropyridine use was steady during pregnancy, but preference shifted from amlodipine to nifedipine in T3 (2.2.% vs.10.8%). Central α2-agonists increased during pregnancy (up to 15.2% in T3) compared to both pre- (9.8%) and post-pregnancy (5.7%). ARBs mirrored ACE inhibitors, with less than 1% utilization in later trimesters. Combination agents dropped from 10.8% pre-pregnancy to 0.8% in T3, then rebounded to 7.3% post-pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Research is warranted to evaluate the choice of antihypertensives and optimal timing to switch to safer alternatives, considering maternal and fetal outcomes.

Association of dietary habits with body mass index and waist circumference, and their interaction effect on hypertension

Dietary modifications play a crucial role in blood pressure management, and although body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are significant predictors of hypertension, limited studies have explored their relationship with dietary habits. This cross-sectional study conducted in Ganzhou, China, focused on middle-aged and elderly residents to investigate the correlation between dietary habits and BMI, WC, and their interaction impact on hypertension. The study found that salty and sweet intake correlated positively with BMI and WC, whereas bean and coarse grain intake were negatively correlated. A significant interaction effect was showed between dietary habits, and BMI and WC on hypertension. Specifically, individuals with obesity or central obesity combined with poor dietary habits had higher odds of hypertension. This study aims to provide a theoretical basis for nutritional interventions for middle-aged and elderly residents with varying obesity levels for the prevention and treatment of hypertension at the community level. The study concluded that dietary habits are significantly associated with BMI and WC, and poor dietary habits coexistence with obesity or central obesity can increase the prevalence rate of hypertension. Understanding these relationships can help develop strategies to address hypertension through dietary and lifestyle changes, providing valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers to develop effective interventions addressing this growing global health concern.

Association between untreated and treated blood pressure levels and cognitive decline in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults in China: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Optimal blood pressure (BP) levels to reduce the long-term risk of cognitive decline remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between BP and anti-hypertensive treatment status with cognitive decline in older adults.

METHODS

This study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Cognitive function was assessed at year 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018. Global cognitive Z-score was calculated as the average score of episodic memory and mental intactness. BP were measured at the first and second wave. Pulse pressure (PP) was calculated as systolic BP (SBP) minus diastolic BP. Cumulative BP was calculated as the area under the curve using BP measurements from 2011 to 2013. Linear mixed models were used to assess the longitudinal association between BP-related measurements and cognitive decline.

RESULTS

We included 11,671 participants (47.3% men and mean age 58.6 years). Individual with BP > 140/90 mm Hg or taking anti-hypertensive medication were independently associated with accelerated cognitive decline (β=-0.014, 95% CI: -0.020 to -0.007). Individuals with anti-hypertensive medication use, but with controlled SBP to less than 120 mm Hg did not have a significantly increased risk of cognitive decline compared with normotension (β=-0.003, 95% CI: -0.021 to 0.014). Individuals on anti-hypertensive treatment with PP of more than 70 mm Hg had a significantly higher risk of cognitive decline (β=-0.033, 95% CI: -0.045 to -0.020). Regardless of anti-hypertensive treatment status, both elevated baseline and cumulative SBP and PP were found to be independently associated with accelerated cognitive decline.

CONCLUSIONS

Cumulatively elevated SBP, PP and uncontrolled BP were associated with subsequent cognitive decline. Effectively controlling BP with anti-hypertensive treatment may be able to preserve cognitive decline in older adults.

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, adult and pediatric population. A narrative review]

Hypertension has become a central risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, underscoring the importance of its accurate diagnosis. Numerous studies have established a close relationship between elevated systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular event (CVE). Traditionally, blood pressure (BP) measurements performed in clinical settings have been the main method for diagnosing and assessing hypertension. However, in recent years, it has been recognized that BP measurements obtained outside the clinical setting, using self-monitoring blood pressure (SMBP) and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), offer a more realistic perspective of patients' daily lives and therefore provide more reliable results. Given the evolution of medical devices, diagnostic criteria, and the increasing relevance of certain components of ABPM in the prediction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, a comprehensive update that is practical for daily clinical practice is required. The main objective of this article is to provide an updated review of ABPM, focusing on its importance in the evaluation of hypertension and its impact on public health in Colombia. In addition, it will discuss the implications of changes in diagnostic thresholds and provide concrete recommendations for the effective implementation of ABPM in clinical practice, allowing health professionals to make informed decisions and improve the care of their patients.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Hypertension and Antihypertensive Medication Use Among Adults - United States, 2017-2021

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It increases with age and is highest among non-Hispanic Black or African American persons, men, persons aged ≥65 years, those of lower socioeconomic status, and those who live in the southern United States. Hypertension affects approximately one half of U.S. adults, and approximately one quarter of those persons have their blood pressure under control. Reducing population-level hypertension prevalence and improving control is a national priority. In 2017, updated guidelines for high blood pressure in adults recommended lowering the blood pressure threshold for diagnosis of hypertension. Analysis of data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System found that age-standardized, self-reported diagnosed hypertension was approximately 30% during 2017-2021, with persistent differences by age, sex, race and ethnicity, level of education, and state of residence. During this period, the age-standardized prevalence of antihypertensive medication use among persons with hypertension increased by 3.1 percentage points, from 59.8% to 62.9% (p<0.001). Increases in antihypertensive medication use were observed in most sociodemographic groups and in many states. Assessing current trends in hypertension diagnosis and treatment can help guide the development of policies and implementation of interventions to reduce this important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and can aid in addressing health disparities.

Evening versus morning dosing regimen drug therapy for hypertension

BACKGROUND

Variation in blood pressure levels display circadian rhythms. Complete 24-hour blood pressure control is the primary goal of antihypertensive treatment and reducing adverse cardiovascular outcomes is the ultimate aim. This is an update of the review first published in 2011.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of administration-time-related effects of once-daily evening versus conventional morning dosing antihypertensive drug therapy regimens on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, total adverse events, withdrawals from treatment due to adverse effects, and reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with primary hypertension.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Hypertension Specialised Register via Cochrane Register of Studies (17 June 2022), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 6, 2022); MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process and MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print (1 June 2022); Embase (1 June 2022); ClinicalTrials.gov (2 June 2022); Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBLD) (1978 to 2009); Chinese VIP (2009 to 7 August 2022); Chinese WANFANG DATA (2009 to 4 August 2022); China Academic Journal Network Publishing Database (CAJD) (2009 to 6 August 2022); Epistemonikos (3 September 2022) and the reference lists of relevant articles. We applied no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the administration-time-related effects of evening with morning dosing monotherapy regimens in people with primary hypertension. We excluded people with known secondary hypertension, shift workers or people with white coat hypertension.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two to four review authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. We resolved disagreements by discussion or with another review author. We performed data synthesis and analyses using Review Manager Web for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, serious adverse events, overall adverse events, withdrawals due to adverse events, change in 24-hour blood pressure and change in morning blood pressure. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE. We conducted random-effects meta-analysis, fixed-effect meta-analysis, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 27 RCTs in this updated review, of which two RCTs were excluded from the meta-analyses for lack of data and number of groups not reported. The quantitative analysis included 25 RCTs with 3016 participants with primary hypertension. RCTs used angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (six trials), calcium channel blockers (nine trials), angiotensin II receptor blockers (seven trials), diuretics (two trials), α-blockers (one trial), and β-blockers (one trial). Fifteen trials were parallel designed, and 10 trials were cross-over designed. Most participants were white, and only two RCTs were conducted in Asia (China) and one in Africa (South Africa). All trials excluded people with risk factors of myocardial infarction and strokes. Most trials had high risk or unclear risk of bias in at least two of several key criteria, which was most prominent in allocation concealment (selection bias) and selective reporting (reporting bias). Meta-analysis showed significant heterogeneity across trials. No RCTs reported on cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular morbidity. There may be little to no differences in all-cause mortality (after 26 weeks of active treatment: RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.04 to 5.42; RD 0, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.01; very low-certainty evidence), serious adverse events (after 8 to 26 weeks of active treatment: RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.53 to 2.57; RD 0, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.03; very low-certainty evidence), overall adverse events (after 6 to 26 weeks of active treatment: RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.20; I² = 37%; RD -0.02, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.02; I² = 38%; very low-certainty evidence) and withdrawals due to adverse events (after 6 to 26 weeks active treatment: RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.23; I² = 0%; RD -0.01, 95% CI -0.03 to 0; I² = 0%; very low-certainty evidence), but the evidence was very uncertain.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Due to the very limited data and the defects of the trials' designs, this systematic review did not find adequate evidence to determine which time dosing drug therapy regimen has more beneficial effects on cardiovascular outcomes or adverse events. We have very little confidence in the evidence showing that evening dosing of antihypertensive drugs is no more or less effective than morning administration to lower 24-hour blood pressure. The conclusions should not be assumed to apply to people receiving multiple antihypertensive drug regimens.

Tobacco smoke and all-cause mortality and premature death in China: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Tobacco smoke is associated with several diseases, and identified as the second leading risk factor for death from any cause worldwide. The relationship of tobacco smoke to mortality or premature death is not yet available from contemporary cohorts after 2010 in China. This study aimed to investigate the smoking behavior and the relationship of tobacco smoke to mortality and premature death among a nationally representative cohort starting from 2011 in China.

METHODS

The nationally representative datasets (China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, CHARLS, 2011-2012) was employed and linked with follow-up data (2013). CHARLS was an ongoing nationally representative survey, which longitudinally followed up subjects aged over 45 years. Smoking status (non-smoker, ex-smoker, smoker, pack-years of smoking, age at starting and ceasing smoking) was used as independent variable, and all-cause mortality, premature death (defined as mortality before age 72.7 years in men and 76.9 years in women) were used as dependent variables. The Cox's proportional hazards regression mode was used to estimate the effect of tobacco smoke and pack-years of smoking on all-cause mortality and premature death.

RESULTS

A total of 16,701 subjects were included. The association between tobacco smoker (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.37, 95%CI = 1.02, 1.83) / ex-smoker (HR = 1.75, 95%CI = 1.24, 2.46) and all-cause mortality was significant. Tobacco smoker (HR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.04, 2.39) and ex-smoker (HR = 2.25, 95%CI = 1.38, 3.66) was associated with increase in the risk of premature death. Pack-years of smoking ≥ 30 was associated with increased risk of premature death compared with non-smokers in total (HR = 1.59, 95%CI = 1.03, 2.43) and women (HR = 3.38, 95%CI = 1.22, 9.38). Additionally, our results also revealed that there was a linear trend between pack-years of smoking and premature death in total (P = 0.002) and women (P = 0.010).

CONCLUSION

This study found a negative effect of smoking status on all-cause mortality and premature death among a contemporary and nationally representative data in China. The correlation between pack-years of smoking and premature death and the trend of pack-years of smoking with premature death was also identified.

Examining the potential impacts of intensive blood pressure treatment on the socioeconomic inequity in hypertension prevalence in China: a nationally representative cross-sectional study

Few studies focused on the equity of hypertension prevalence before and after the diagnostic threshold change. The study aimed to analyze the 130/80 mmHg hypertension diagnostic threshold on the equity of hypertension prevalence in China. The baseline survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted from 2011 to 2012 were utilized to evaluate the impact of the 130/80 mmHg diagnostic threshold on the equity of hypertension prevalence in China using the concentration index and its decomposition which was an index reflecting the health inequality caused by social and economic factors. The prevalence of hypertension was 41.56% and 57.33% under the diagnostic thresholds of 140/90 mmHg and 130/80 mmHg, respectively. The concentration index for hypertension prevalence in China was -0.017 (95%CI: -0.028, -0.006) under the 140/90 mmHg threshold and -0.010 (95%CI: -0.018, -0.002) under the 130/80 mmHg threshold. Concentration index decomposition analysis of hypertension prevalence diagnosed at both diagnostic thresholds showed that age, BMI, and economic status contributed more to the inequitable situation of hypertension prevalence. Higher age, higher BMI, and poorer economic status increased the inequity of hypertension prevalence. No significant difference in the increase in hypertension among individuals of different economic status after implementing the blood pressure control standard (130/80 mmHg), and the prevalence of hypertension in the region did not show a significant bias towards the low economic status population. Therefore, implementing this standard will not increase the risk of hypertension prevalence biased toward people of low economic status. Implementing the 130/80 mmHg diagnostic threshold will not increase the risk of hypertension prevalence biased towards people of low economic status.

Cost-effectiveness of drug treatment for young and middle-aged stage 1 hypertensive patients with high risk

Background

Drug treatment was recommended for stage 1 hypertensive patients (blood pressure of 130-139 / 80-89 millimetres of mercury (mmHg)) with high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines, 2018 Chinese guidelines and 2021 World Health Organization guidelines, but not in other guidelines. However, evidence on the cost-effectiveness of drug treatment among young and middle-aged patients remains scarce. This study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of drug treatment vs. non-drug treatment for stage 1 hypertensive patients aged <60 years with high CVD risk.

Methods

A microsimulation model projected quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), health care costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for drug treatment from a societal perspective. Transition probabilities were estimated from the Kailuan study with a sample size of 34 093 patients aged <60 years with high CVD risk. Costs and health utilities were obtained from the Kailuan study, national statistics reports and published literature.

Results

Over a 15-year time horizon, the model predicted that drug treatment generated QALY of 9.36 and was associated with expected costs of 3735 US dollars ($) compared with 9.07 and $3923 produced by non-drug treatment among stage 1 hypertensive patients, resulting in a cost-saving for drug treatment. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $10439/QALY (one gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2020), drug treatment had a 99.99% probability of being cost-effective for 10 000 samples of probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analyses by different values of transition probability, cost, utility and discount rate did not appreciably change the results. Shortening the time horizon to the average follow-up period of eight years resulted in ICER of $189/QALY for drug treatment (<1 × GDP/QALY).

Conclusions

Our results suggested that drug treatment was a dominant strategy for stage 1 hypertensive patients aged <60 years with high CVD risk in China, which may provide evidence for policymakers and clinicians when weighing the pros and cons of drug treatment for young and middle-aged stage 1 hypertensive patients.

Exploring patient medication adherence and data mining methods in clinical big data: A contemporary review

BACKGROUND

Increasingly, patient medication adherence data are being consolidated from claims databases and electronic health records (EHRs). Such databases offer an indirect avenue to gauge medication adherence in our data-rich healthcare milieu. The surge in data accessibility, coupled with the pressing need for its conversion to actionable insights, has spotlighted data mining, with machine learning (ML) emerging as a pivotal technique. Nonadherence poses heightened health risks and escalates medical costs. This paper elucidates the synergistic interaction between medical database mining for medication adherence and the role of ML in fostering knowledge discovery.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive review of EHR applications in the realm of medication adherence, leveraging ML techniques. We expounded on the evolution and structure of medical databases pertinent to medication adherence and harnessed both supervised and unsupervised ML paradigms to delve into adherence and its ramifications.

RESULTS

Our study underscores the applications of medical databases and ML, encompassing both supervised and unsupervised learning, for medication adherence in clinical big data. Databases like SEER and NHANES, often underutilized due to their intricacies, have gained prominence. Employing ML to excavate patient medication logs from these databases facilitates adherence analysis. Such findings are pivotal for clinical decision-making, risk stratification, and scholarly pursuits, aiming to elevate healthcare quality.

CONCLUSION

Advanced data mining in the era of big data has revolutionized medication adherence research, thereby enhancing patient care. Emphasizing bespoke interventions and research could herald transformative shifts in therapeutic modalities.

Effect of leisure-time physical activity on blood pressure in people with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for premature death. Leisure-time physical activities have been recommended to control hypertension. Studies examining how leisure-time physical activity affects blood pressure have found mixed results. We aimed to conduct a systematic review examining the effect of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on lowering blood pressure among adults living with hypertension. We searched studies in Embase, Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, Physical Education Index, Scopus and CENTRAL (the Cochrane Library). The primary outcome variables were systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). This systematic review is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021260751). We included 17 studies out of 12,046 screened articles in this review. Moderate-intensity LTPA (all types) reduced SBP compared to the non-intervention control group (MD -5.35 mm Hg, 95% CI -8.06 to -2.65, nine trials, n = 531, low certainty of the evidence). Mean DBP was reduced by -4.76 mm Hg (95% CI -8.35 to -1.17, nine trials, n = 531, low certainty of the evidence) in all types of LTPA (moderate intensity) group compared to the non-intervention control group. Leisure-time walking reduced mean SBP by -8.36 mmHg, 95% CI -13.39 to -3.32, three trials, n = 128, low certainty of the evidence). Walking during leisure time reduced -5.03 mmHg mean DBP, 95% CI -8.23 to -1.84, three trials, n = 128, low certainty of the evidence). Performing physical activity during free time probably reduces SBP and DBP (low certainty of the evidence) among adults with hypertension.

Longitudinal Association between Periodontitis and the Risk of Hypertension

Objectives

Hypertension poses a major public health challenge due to its association with increased risk of heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and death. The objective of this study is to evaluate the longitudinal association between periodontitis and the risk of hypertension.

Methods

Using a cohort study design, 540 participants free of diagnosed hypertension/prehypertension in the San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study and with complete 3-year follow-up data were included. Periodontitis was classified according to the 2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American Academy of Periodontology definition. Participants were considered to have developed hypertension if they reported physician-diagnosed hypertension over the follow-up period or had average systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mm Hg at follow-up. Participants free of diagnosed hypertension or prehypertension and with normal BP at baseline (SBP < 120 mm Hg and DBP < 80 mm Hg) were considered to develop prehypertension if they had SBP between 120 and 139 mm Hg or DBP between 80 and 89 mm Hg at follow-up. An additional (secondary) outcome was defined as the development of prehypertension/hypertension over the follow-up period among participants who had normal BP at baseline. We used Poisson regression, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, physical activity, alcohol intake, diabetes, waist circumference, and family history of hypertension.

Results

One hundred and six (19.6%) participants developed hypertension, and 58 of the 221 with normal BP (26%) developed prehypertension/hypertension. There was no consistent association between periodontitis and the risk of developing hypertension. However, people with severe periodontitis had an increased incidence of prehypertension/hypertension (multivariate incidence rate ratios: 1.47; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 2.17) than people without periodontitis after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion

There was no association between periodontitis and hypertension in this cohort study. However, severe periodontitis was associated with an increased risk of prehypertension/hypertension.

Change in blood pressure status defined by 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline and risk of cardiovascular disease: results of over a decade of follow-up of the Iranian population

Background

Hypertension (HTN) is known to be the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. We aimed to assess the impact of changes in 3 years in different blood pressure (BP) categories on incident CVD.

Methods

In this study, 3,685 Tehranians aged ≥30 years (42.2% men) free of prevalent CVD with BP level <140/90 mmHg and not on BP-lowering medications were enrolled. Participants were grouped according to baseline BP category using the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline definition: normal BP (<120/80 mmHg), elevated BP (120-129/<80), and stage 1 HTN (130-139 and/or 80-89). The hazard ratio of incident CVD by changes in the BP category was estimated after adjustment for traditional risk factors using Cox's proportional hazard model, with stable normotension as a reference.

Results

During a median follow-up of 11.7 years, 346 CVD events (men = 208) occurred. Compared to the reference group, among participants with normal BP at baseline, only those with BP rising to stage 1 HTN [1.47 (0.99-2.16)], and among those with stage 1 HTN at baseline, regression to elevated BP [1.80 (1.11-2.91)], remaining at stage 1 [1.80 (1.29-2.52)], and progression to stage 2 HTN [1.81 (1.25-2.61)] had a higher risk for CVD; however, regression to normal BP attenuated this risk [1.36 (0.88-2.12)]. Conversion from elevated BP to any other categories had no significant association with CVD risk.

Conclusions

Generally, prevalent stage 1 HTN (regardless of changing category) and incident stage 1 HTN were significantly associated with a higher risk of CVD; even regression to elevated BP did not attenuate the risk. Accordingly, these populations are potential candidates for antihypertensive management.

The prevalence and treatment of hypertension in Veterans Health Administration, assessing the impact of the updated clinical guidelines

OBJECTIVE

Hypertension is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Several guidelines have lowered diagnostic blood pressure (BP) thresholds and treatment targets for hypertension. We evaluated the impact of the more stringent guidelines among Veterans, a population at high risk of CVD.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of Veterans with at least two office BP measurements between January 2016 and December 2017. Prevalent hypertension was defined as diagnostic codes related to hypertension, prescribed antihypertensive drugs, or office BP values according to the BP cutoffs at least 140/90 mmHg (Joint National Committee 7 [JNC 7]), at least 130/80 mmHg [American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA)], or the 2020 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) guideline (BP ≥130/90 mmHg). Uncontrolled BP was defined per the VHA guideline as mean SBP ≥130 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hypertension increased from 71% for BP at least 140/90 to 81% for BP at least 130/90 mmHg and further to 87% for BP at least 130/80 mmHg. Among Veterans with known hypertension ( n  = 2 768 826), a majority [ n  = 1 818 951 (66%)] were considered to have uncontrolled BP per the VHA guideline. Lowering the treatment targets for SBP and DBP significantly increased the number of Veterans who would require initiation of or intensification of pharmacotherapy. The majority of Veterans with uncontrolled BP and at least one CVD risk factor remained uncontrolled after 5 years of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Lowering the BP diagnostic and treatment cutoffs increases the burden on healthcare systems significantly. Targeted interventions are needed to achieve the BP treatment goals.

Isolated systolic or diastolic hypertension and mortality risk in young adults using the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure guideline: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Little is known regarding the health effects of different hypertension phenotypes including isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH), and systolic and diastolic hypertension (SDH) defined by the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guideline among young adults. We conducted this longitudinal study using time-varying analyses to evaluate the relationship between cardiovascular/all-natural mortality risk and different hypertension phenotypes in young adults.

METHODS

A total of 284 597 young adults (aged 18-39 years) were recruited between 1996 and 2016. Participants were classified into eight mutually exclusive BP groups: normal blood pressure (BP), elevated BP, stage 1 IDH, stage 1 ISH, stage 1 SDH, stage 2 IDH, stage 2 ISH, and stage 2 SDH. The outcomes were cardiovascular and all-natural mortality.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 15.8 years, 2341 all-natural deaths with 442 cardiovascular deaths were observed. When compared with individuals with normal BP, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of cardiovascular mortality was 1.39 (1.01-1.93) for elevated BP, 2.00 (1.45-2.77) for stage 1 IDH, 1.66 (1.08-2.56) for stage 1 ISH, 3.08 (2.13-4.45) for stage 1 SDH, 2.85 (1.76-4.62) for stage 2 IDH, 4.30 (2.96-6.25) for stage 2 ISH, and 6.93 (4.99-9.61) for stage 2 SDH, respectively. In consideration to all-natural mortality, similar results were observed for stage 1 SDH, stage 2 ISH, and stage 2 SDH; but not for elevated BP, stage 1 IDH, stage 1 ISH, and stage 2 IDH.

CONCLUSION

Young adults with stage 1 or stage 2 ISH, IDH, and SDH are at increased risk of cardiovascular death than those with normal BP. Regardless of BP stage, SDH was associated with a higher cardiovascular mortality risk than IDH and ISH.

Hypertension identification using inpatient clinical notes from electronic medical records: an explainable, data-driven algorithm study

BACKGROUND

Case identification is important for health services research, measuring health system performance and risk adjustment, but existing methods based on manual chart review or diagnosis codes can be expensive, time consuming or of limited validity. We aimed to develop a hypertension case definition in electronic medical records (EMRs) for inpatient clinical notes using machine learning.

METHODS

A cohort of patients 18 years of age or older who were discharged from 1 of 3 Calgary acute care facilities (1 academic hospital and 2 community hospitals) between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2015, were randomly selected, and we compared the performance of EMR phenotype algorithms developed using machine learning with an algorithm based on the Canadian version of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD), in identifying patients with hypertension. Hypertension status was determined by chart review, the machine-learning algorithms used EMR notes and the ICD algorithm used the Discharge Abstract Database (Canadian Institute for Health Information).

RESULTS

Of our study sample (n = 3040), 1475 (48.5%) patients had hypertension. The group with hypertension was older (median age of 71.0 yr v. 52.5 yr for those patients without hypertension) and had fewer females (710 [48.2%] v. 764 [52.3%]). Our final EMR-based models had higher sensitivity than the ICD algorithm (> 90% v. 47%), while maintaining high positive predictive values (> 90% v. 97%).

INTERPRETATION

We found that hypertension tends to have clear documentation in EMRs and is well classified by concept search on free text. Machine learning can provide insights into how and where conditions are documented in EMRs and suggest nonmachine-learning phenotypes to implement.

Effect of exercise on vascular function in hypertension patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective

The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the effect of exercise on vascular function in patients with pre- and hypertension.

Methods

A systematic review of articles retrieved via the PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases was conducted. All the randomized controlled trials published between the establishment of the databases and October 2022 were included. Studies that evaluated the effects of exercise intervention on vascular function in patients with pre- and hypertension were selected.

Results

A total of 717 subjects were included in 12 randomized controlled trials. The meta-analysis showed that in patients with pre- and hypertension, exercise can significantly reduce systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD = -4.89; 95% CI, -7.05 to -2.73; P < 0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD = -3.74; 95% CI, -5.18 to -2.29; P < 0.00001) and can improve endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation (MD = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.71-2.61; P < 0.00001), and exercise did not reduce pulse wave velocity (PWV) (MD = 0.03, 95% CI, -0.45-0.50; P = 0.92). Regression analysis showed that changes in exercise-related vascular function were independent of subject medication status, baseline SBP, age and duration of intervention.

Conclusion

Aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity intermittent exercise all significantly improved SBP, DBP, and FMD in pre- and hypertensive patients, however, they were not effective in reducing PWV, and this effect was independent of the subject's medication status, baseline SBP, age and duration of intervention.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022302646.

Assessing the Impact of Intensified Hypertension (HTN) Treatment Guidelines: A Single Center Experience

INTRODUCTION

 Hypertension (HTN) is an independent risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and premature death. In 2017 there was a shift in the definition of HTN by the American College of Cardiology (ACC), as well as the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), resulting in lower blood pressure (BP) readings meeting criteria for diagnosis. Our study aimed to explore the impact the change had on a single cardiology practice's management of patients with HTN.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart review of a single cardiology practice. We separated the time into two categories: 12 months before and 12 months after the reclassification of HTN categories in November 2017. A paired t-test analysis was done comparing averaged blood pressures (BPs) in each of the two time periods, as well as the number of medications in each time period and several subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 441 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients were prescribed an average of 2.61 ± 1.20 medications at baseline, and 2.74 ± 1.22 medications post-reclassification (p < 0.0001). There was an average of 0.82 ± 1.28 medication changes per patient. The overall average BP was 133.7 ± 14.1/76.4 ± 9.5 at baseline, and 131.3 ± 13.1/76.7 ± 7.7 after the recategorization [Δ -2.41 (95% CI 1.18-3.63)/0.269 (95% CI -0.29 to 0.459); p<0.0001 for systolic blood pressure (SBP), p=0.467 for diastolic blood pressure (DBP)].

CONCLUSION

The change in definition of HTN significantly impacted this single cardiology practice. There was a statistically significant increase in antihypertensive medications prescribed with an expected decrease in BP observed in this study.

Threshold of BMI for the Development of Hypertension among Japanese Adults

BACKGROUND

The optimal value of BMI for the development of hypertension and the influence of BMI on the development of stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension remain unclear.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to identify the BMI threshold for the prevention of hypertension and how changes in BMI would influence the risk of developing hypertension.

METHODS

We analyzed 1,262,356 participants (median age: 43 y; 50.9% men) with normal blood pressure [BP; systolic BP (SBP) <120 mmHg and diastolic BP (DBP) <80 mmHg] or elevated BP (SBP: 120-129 mmHg and DBP <80 mmHg). The primary outcome was stage 1 (SBP 130-139 mmHg or DBP 80-89 mmHg) or stage 2 hypertension (SBP ≥140 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg). We analyzed the relation between baseline BMI, change in BMI, and the risk of developing hypertension using generalized additive models with a smoothing spline.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up of 851 d, 341,212 cases of stage 1 hypertension and 70,968 cases of stage 2 hypertension were detected. The risk of developing stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension increased steeply after BMI (kg/m²) exceeded 20. The annual change in BMI was positively correlated with the risk of developing stage 1 or 2 hypertension. Contour mapping using generalized additive models demonstrated an additive increase in the risk of developing hypertension with higher baseline BMI and increases in BMI over 1 y. Body-weight gain increases the risk of developing hypertension even in underweight or normal-weight individuals based on the WHO classification.

CONCLUSIONS

In Japanese adults with normal or elevated BP, the risk of developing hypertension increased with BMI when baseline BMI was >20. Body-weight gain additively interacted with baseline BMI during hypertension development. Our results underscore the importance of maintaining body weight in preventing the development of hypertension.

Reduction in blood pressure for elevated blood pressure/stage 1 hypertension according to the ACC/AHA guideline and cardiovascular outcomes

Aims

Few studies have examined the relationship of blood pressure (BP) change in adults with elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension according to the ACC/AHA guideline with cardiovascular outcomes. We sought to identify the effect of BP change among individuals with elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension on incident heart failure (HF) and other cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Methods and results

We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 616,483 individuals (median age 46 years, 73.7% men) with elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension based on the ACC/AHA BP guideline. Participants were categorized using BP classification at one-year as normal BP (n = 173,558), elevated BP/stage 1 hypertension (n = 367,454), or stage 2 hypertension (n = 75,471). The primary outcome was HF, and the secondary outcomes included (separately) myocardial infarction (MI), angina pectoris (AP), and stroke. Over a mean follow-up of 1,097 ± 908 days, 10,544 HFs, 1,317 MIs, 11,070 APs, and 5,198 strokes were recorded. Compared with elevated BP/stage 1 hypertension at one-year, normal BP at one-year was associated with a lower risk of developing HF (HR:0.89, 95% CI:0.85-0.94), whereas stage 2 hypertension at one-year was associated with an elevated risk of developing HF (HR:1.43, 95% CI:1.36-1.51). This association was also present in other cardiovascular outcomes including MI, AP, and stroke. The relationship was consistent in all subgroups stratified by age, sex, baseline BP category, and overweight/obesity.

Conclusion

A one-year decline in BP was associated with the lower risk of HF, MI, AP, and stroke, suggesting the importance of lowering BP in individuals with elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension according to the ACC/AHA guideline to prevent the risk of developing CVD.

Hypertension Subtypes, Mortality Risk, and Differential Effects Between Two Hypertension Guidelines

Aim:

To examine which hypertension subtypes are primarily responsible for the difference in the hypertension prevalence and treatment recommendations, and to assess their mortality risk if 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) hypertension guideline were adopted among Chinese adults.

Methods

We used the nationally representative data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to estimate the differences in the prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), systolic diastolic hypertension (SDH) and isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) between the 2017 ACC/AHA and the 2018 China Hypertension League (CHL) guidelines. We further assessed their mortality risk using follow-up data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) by the Cox model.

Results

The increase from the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline on hypertension prevalence was mostly from SDH (8.64% by CHL to 25.59% by ACC/AHA), followed by IDH (2.42 to 6.93%). However, the difference was minuscule in the proportion of people recommended for antihypertensive treatment among people with IDH (2.42 to 3.34%) or ISH (12.00 to 12.73%). Among 22,184 participants with a median follow-up of 6.14 years from CHNS, attenuated but significant associations were observed between all-cause mortality and SDH (hazard ratio 1.56; 95% CI: 1.36,1.79) and ISH (1.29; 1.03,1.61) by ACC/AHA but null association for IDH (1.15; 0.98,1.35).

Conclusion

Adoption of the 2017 ACC/AHA may be applicable to improve the unacceptable hypertension control rate among Chinese adults but with cautions for the drug therapy among millions of subjects with IDH.

Potential Impact of 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Hypertension Guideline on Contemporary Practice: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From NCDR PINNACLE Registry

Background Clinical implications of change in the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guideline on the diagnosis and management of hypertension, compared with recommendations by 2014 expert panel and Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7), are not known. Methods and Results Using data from the NCDR (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence) Registry (January 2013-Decemver 2016), we compared the proportion and clinical characteristics of patients seen in cardiology practices diagnosed with hypertension, recommended antihypertensive treatment, and achieving blood pressure (BP) goals per each guideline document. In addition, we evaluated the proportion of patients at the level of practices meeting BP targets defined by each guideline. Of 6 042 630 patients evaluated, 5 027 961 (83.2%) were diagnosed with hypertension per the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline, compared with 4 521 272 (74.8%) per the 2014 panel and 4 545 976 (75.2%) per JNC7. The largest increase in hypertension prevalence was seen in younger ages, women, and those with lower cardiovascular risk. Antihypertensive medication was recommended to 70.6% of patients per the ACC/AHA guideline compared with 61.8% and 65.9% per the 2014 panel and JNC7, respectively. Among those on antihypertensive agents, 41.2% achieved BP targets per the ACC/AHA guideline, compared with 79.4% per the 2014 panel and 64.3% per JNC7. Lower proportions of women, non-White (Black and "other") races, and those at higher cardiovascular risk achieved BP goals. Median practice-level proportion of patients meeting BP targets per the 2014 panel but not the ACC/AHA guideline was 37.8% (interquartile range, 34.8%-40.7%) and per JNC7 but not the ACC/AHA guideline was 22.9% (interquartile range, 19.8%-25.9%). Conclusions Following publication of the 2017 guideline, significantly more people, particularly younger people and those with lower cardiovascular risk, will be diagnosed with hypertension and need antihypertensive treatment compared with previous recommendations. Significant practice-level variation in BP control also exists. Efforts are needed to improve guideline-concordant hypertension management in an effort to improve outcomes.

Global Impact of Different Blood Pressure Thresholds in 4 021 690 Participants of the May Measurement Month Initiative

BACKGROUND

Influential guidelines currently define hypertension at different thresholds of blood pressure (BP). The global May Measurement Month initiative provides a unique opportunity to estimate the potential consequences of universal lowering of BP thresholds on the prevalence of hypertension based on a large, real-world, patient-level data set.

METHODS

The average of the second and third of 3 attended BP readings after 5 minutes of rest from 4 021 690 standardized, opportunistic BP screenings in various settings of the 2017 to 2019 May Measurement Month initiatives from 104 countries were analyzed to assess the demographic and phenotypic impact of 3 defined BP thresholds.

RESULTS

The age- and sex-standardized median of the relative increase in rate of hypertension with a change of thresholds from ≥140/≥90 to ≥130/≥80 mm Hg was 72.3% (interquartile range, 59.3%-91.3%) among the participating countries. With a change from ≥140/≥90 to ≥120/≥70 mm Hg, the median range was 162.6% (interquartile range, 132.8%-202.6%). The increase in rate of hypertension was most pronounced in low-income (95.3% and 203.9%) and least pronounced in high-income countries (71.6% and 167.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of a universal application of lower BP thresholds for the definition of hypertension would have an enormous impact on the prevalence of hypertension globally with large disparities between countries and substantial heterogeneity of demographic and phenotypic patterns, which should be confirmed in dedicated population studies. While focusing on lower BP targets may constitute an opportunity for early intervention, the potential socioeconomic consequences may pose unsurmountable obstacles for most health care systems worldwide.

Novel Insights into the Roles and Mechanisms of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists against Aging-Related Diseases

Aging and aging-related diseases have emerged as increasingly severe health and social problems. Therefore, it is imperative to discover novel and effective therapeutics to delay the aging process and to manage aging-related diseases. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), one of the classes of antihyperglycemic drugs, have been recommended to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Moreover, GLP-1 RAs have been shown to protect against oxidative stress, cellular senescence and chronic inflammation, which are widely accepted as the major risk factors of aging. However, their significance in aging or aging-related diseases has not been elucidated. Herein, we explain the underlying mechanisms and protective roles of GLP-1 RAs in aging from a molecular, cellular and phenotypic perspective. We provide novel insights into the broad prospect of GLP-1 RAs in preventing and treating aging-related diseases. Additionally, we highlight the gaps for further studies in clinical applications of GLP-1 RAs in aging-related diseases. This review forms a basis for further studies on the relationship between aging-related diseases and GLP-1 RAs.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension based on ACC/AHA versus JNC7 guidelines in the PERSIAN cohort study

In this cross-sectional population-based study, we used the baseline data of the Prospective Epidemiologic Research Studies in IrAN cohort study collected in Iran from 2014 to 2020. The main outcomes were the prevalence of hypertension and proportion of awareness, treatment, and control based on the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline compared to the seventh report of the Joint National Committee (JNC7). Of the total of 163,770 participants, aged 35-70 years, 55.2% were female. The sex-age standardized prevalence of hypertension was 22.3% (95% CI 20.6, 24.1) based on the JNC7 guideline and 36.5% (31.1, 41.8) based on the ACC/AHA guideline. A total of 24,312 participants [14.1% (10.1, 18.1)] were newly diagnosed based on the ACC/AHA guideline. Compared to adults diagnosed with hypertension based on the JNC7 guideline, the newly diagnosed participants were mainly young literate males who had low levels of risk factors and were free from conventional comorbidities of hypertension. About 30.7% (25.9, 35.4) of them (4.3% of the entire population) were eligible for pharmacologic intervention based on the ACC/AHA guideline. Implementation of the new guideline may impose additional burden on health systems. However, early detection and management of elevated blood pressure may reduce the ultimate burden of hypertension in Iran.

Leveraging electronic health record data for clinical trial planning by assessing eligibility criteria's impact on patient count and safety

OBJECTIVE

To present an approach on using electronic health record (EHR) data that assesses how different eligibility criteria, either individually or in combination, can impact patient count and safety (exemplified by all-cause hospitalization risk) and further assist with criteria selection for prospective clinical trials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Trials in three disease domains - relapsed/refractory (r/r) lymphoma/leukemia; hepatitis C virus (HCV); stages 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) - were analyzed as case studies for this approach. For each disease domain, criteria were identified and all criteria combinations were used to create EHR cohorts. Per combination, two values were derived: (1) number of eligible patients meeting the selected criteria; (2) hospitalization risk, measured as the hazard ratio between those that qualified and those that did not. From these values, k-means clustering was applied to derive which criteria combinations maximized patient counts but minimized hospitalization risk.

RESULTS

Criteria combinations that reduced hospitalization risk without substantial reductions on patient counts were as follows: for r/r lymphoma/leukemia (23 trials; 9 criteria; 623 patients), applying no infection and adequate absolute neutrophil count while forgoing no prior malignancy; for HCV (15; 7; 751), applying no human immunodeficiency virus and no hepatocellular carcinoma while forgoing no decompensated liver disease/cirrhosis; for CKD (10; 9; 23893), applying no congestive heart failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Within each disease domain, the more drastic effects were generally driven by a few criteria. Similar criteria across different disease domains introduce different changes. Although results are contingent on the trial sample and the EHR data used, this approach demonstrates how EHR data can inform the impact on safety and available patients when exploring different criteria combinations for designing clinical trials.

Similarities in Hypertension Status but Differences in Mortality Risk: A Comparison of 2017 ACC/AHA and 2018 Chinese Hypertension Guidelines

Background

Few studies investigated the concordance in hypertension status and antihypertensive treatment recommendations between the 2018 Chinese Hypertension League (CHL) guidelines and the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines and assessed the change of premature mortality risk with hypertension defined by the ACC/AHA guidelines.

Methods

We used the baseline data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to estimate the population impact on hypertension management between CHL and ACC/AHA guidelines. Mortality risk from hypertension was estimated using the data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals(CIs).

Results

Among 13,704 participants analyzed from the nationally representative data of CHARLS, 42.64% (95% CI: 40.35, 44.96) of Chinese adults were diagnosed by both CHL and ACC/AHA guidelines. 41.25% (39.17, 43.36) did not have hypertension according to either guideline. Overall, the concordance in hypertension status was 83.89% (81.69, 85.57). A high percentage of agreement was also found for recommendation to initiate treatment among untreated subjects (87.62% [86.67, 88.51]) and blood pressure (BP) above the goal among treated subjects (71.68% [68.16, 74.95]). Among 23,063 adults from CHNS, subjects with hypertension by CHL had a higher risk of premature mortality (1.75 [1.50, 2.04]) compared with those without hypertension. The association diminished for hypertension by ACC/AHA (1.46 [1.07, 1.30]). Moreover, the excess risk was not significant for the newly defined Grade 1 hypertension by ACC/AHA (1.15 [0.95, 1.38]) when compared with BP <120/80 mmHg. This contrasted with the estimate from CHL (1.54 [1.25, 1.89]). The same pattern was observed for total mortality.

Conclusions

If ACC/AHA guidelines were adopted, a high degree of concordance in hypertension status and initiation of antihypertensive treatment was found with CHL guidelines. However, the mortality risk with hypertension was reduced with a non-significant risk for Grade 1 hypertension defined by the ACC/AHA.

Application of the 2017 American college of cardiology/American Heart Association Blood Pressure Guidelines for cardiovascular outcomes among Tehranian residents

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the associations of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes with elevated blood pressure (BP), stage I of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH), and systolic diastolic hypertension (SDH), defined by 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines among the Tehranian adult population.

METHOD

We enrolled 7068 residents of Tehran (district No. 13) aged at least 30 years, who were free of CVD and not taking antihypertensive medications at baseline. Participants were categorized into eight categories: normal BP (reference group), elevated BP, stage I IDH, stage I ISH, stage I SDH, and all stage II phenotypes. Significant interactions were found between age groups (<60 versus ≥60 years) and BP categories (P value: 0.017); hence, the analysis was performed in each age group, separately. We used multivariable Cox proportional regression analysis to evaluate the association of different BP categories with incident CVD.

RESULTS

During 18 years of follow-up, 1053 CVD events occurred. In the younger group, stage I of IDH and SDH were associated with increased CVD risk with hazard ratios of 1.23 (95% confidence interval: 0.99-1.52) and 1.42 (1.04-1.94), respectively. In the older group, stage I of IDH had a lower risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) [hazard ratio 0.53 (0.29-0.96)]. As a sensitivity analysis, among high CVD risk individuals (10-year risk >10%), we found a higher risk for CVD among those with elevated BP and stage I of SDH. For individuals with 10-year risk less than 10%, all BP parameters, except stage I of IDH, were associated with increased CVD risk. Although there was no significant interaction between sex and BP categories, elevated BP and stage I of SDH significantly increased the risk of CVD only among men.

CONCLUSION

Age is an important potential modifier in the association between stage I of hypertension and CVD/CHD risk. Stage I of IDH was not an alarming status for CVD development, whether the participants had a high CVD risk or not.

Hypertension Defined by 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline, Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics, and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study

Background

The updated definition of hypertension by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) is an important paradigm shift and has lead to extensive discussion. We aimed to examine the association between the updated blood pressure (BP) categories and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) with potential modifications from other cardiovascular health metrics (CVHMs).

Methods

This prospective study included 91,204 participants ≥40 years recruited from 20 community sites across mainland China. Participants were followed up during 2010-2016 for CVD events including nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death. BP categories were defined according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline and CVHMs included smoking, physical activity, diet, body-mass index, total cholesterol, and fasting glucose.

Findings

Overall, 1,985 major CVD events occurred during a mean follow-up of 3.7 years. Having more ideal CVHMs significantly reduced the risk of CVD events in both stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension. Compared with participants without hypertension, participants having ≥4 ideal CVHMs were no longer associated with an increased CVD risk in stage 1 hypertension (HR=1·04; 95% CI=0·83-1·31), but less so in stage 2 hypertension (HR=1·90, 95% CI=1·70-2·13). Such pattern of association was more evident in participants aged <60 years (P for interaction <0·05).

Interpretation

Stage 1 hypertension defined by the ACC/AHA identifies individuals at increased CVD risk, which can be attenuated by achieving more preferable cardiovascular health, especially in adults aged <60 years.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of young-onset hypertension in Malaysia, 2006-2015

The continuous presence of elevated blood pressure (BP) when young is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to elucidate the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of young-onset hypertension (YOH) in Malaysia during the period 2006-2015. Data on respondents aged 18-39 diagnosed with YOH according to the 7th Joint National Committee Report (USA) were extracted from three National Health and Morbidity Surveys (2006, 2011, and 2015). The prevalence of YOH remained stable: 17.7%, 95% CI [17.0, 18.3] in 2006, 17.0%, 95% CI [16.0, 17.9] in 2011 and 18.4%, 95% CI [17.4, 19.4] in 2015. Awareness, treatment and control rates were suboptimal; 15% were aware of their diagnosis, of which less than 50% were on treatment and less than 40% who were on treatment had their BP controlled. Trend analysis revealed a significant increase in YOH prevalence among urban dwellers; those with no formal and tertiary education and middle-income earners. YOH awareness and treatment rates were lower among respondents <30 years; however, when treated, this group achieved overall better control rates. Females had higher awareness and treatment rates, but lower control. Treatment rates remained stable for all ethnicities with the exception of Chinese, which decreased. This study narrows the knowledge gap on YOH epidemiology in Malaysia by providing crucial information on the pervasiveness of hypertension among young adults. Results can be used to develop non-communicable disease policies and health promotion strategies specially targeted at young adults who are in the prime of life.

Blood pressure categories defined by the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline and all-cause mortality: a national cohort study in China and meta-analysis

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline recommends a lowered threshold for hypertension diagnosis. Nonetheless, the association of blood pressure (BP) groups defined by the new guideline and all-cause mortality has not been fully estimated, especially in general Chinese. Based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) during 2011-2018, 12,964 participants aged 45 years or older at baseline were enrolled for a follow-up of 7 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the relationship of BP classifications with all-cause mortality, with normal BP (<120/80 mmHg) as a reference. Afterwards, eligible studies shed light in this field were searched in public databases, and meta-analysis was conducted. In CHARLS, there were 41.21% and 16.08% individuals with stage 2 hypertension and stage 1 hypertension, respectively. During the follow-up, 1293 death occurred. The redefined stage 1 (130-139/80-89 mmHg) and stage 2 hypertension (≥140/≥90 mmHg) were found to have increased risk of death in the crude model, but only stage 2 hypertension maintained statistically significance after adjustment. Furthermore, meta-analysis including CHARLS and nine other prospective studies, with a total of 290,609 participants followed up for 3,081,532 person-years, resulted in similar results (combined hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.07 (0.99-1.15) for stage 1 hypertension, and 1.39 (1.25-1.53) for stage 2 hypertension). The present study detected that individuals with stage 2 and stage 1 hypertension had increased likelihood to die from any cause, but only the former association achieved statistically significance. Further cohorts with long-term follow-up duration are warranted, especially in China.

Incorporation of Retinal Arteriolosclerosis into Risk Stratification of Blood Pressure Category According to the 2017 ACC/AHA Blood Pressure Guideline

Aim: We investigated whether retinal arteriolosclerosis (RA) could be used for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk stratification of individuals categorized according to the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Blood Pressure (BP) guideline.

Methods: We studied 291,522 participants without a history of CVD and not taking any BP-lowering medications from the JMDC Claims Database. RA was defined as Keith–Wagener–Barker system grade ≥ 1. Each participant was classified into one of the six groups: (1) normal or elevated BP without RA, (2) normal or elevated BP with RA, (3) stage 1 hypertension without RA, (4) stage 1 hypertension with RA, (5) stage 2 hypertension without RA, and (6) stage 2 hypertension with RA.

Results: Median (interquartile range) age was 46 (40–53) years, and 141,397 (48.5%) of the participants were men. During a mean follow-up of 1,223±830 days, 527 myocardial infarction (MI), 5,718 angina pectoris, 2,890 stroke, and 5,375 heart failure (HF) events occurred. Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that the risk of CVD increased with BP category, and this association was pronounced by the presence of RA. Compared with normal or elevated BP without RA, the hazard ratios (HRs) for MI (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.93–1.47) were higher in stage 1 hypertension without RA. The HRs for MI further increased in stage 1 hypertension with RA (1.86 [1.17–2.95]). This association was present in stroke and HF.

Conclusion: Incorporation of the assessment for RA may facilitate the CVD risk stratification of people classified based on the 2017 ACC/AHA BP guideline, particularly for those categorized in stage 1 hypertension.

The role of body mass index in the association between dietary sodium intake and blood pressure: A mediation analysis with NHANES

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Recent research demonstrated that obesity and high dietary sodium intake, the two established risk factors for hypertension, were associated with each other. The objective was to investigate the potential indirect effect of sodium intake on blood pressure via body mass index (BMI).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using ten years data from US NHANES (2007-2016), the study included adult participants (>20 years old) who were not taking antihypertensive medications and without baseline diseases (n = 12,262). BMI was modelled as the mediator of sodium intake on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking, drinking, physical activity, calorie intake, fluid intake and potassium intake. Mediation analysis was performed to evaluate total effect, direct effect and indirect effect via BMI. Subgroup analyses based on three age subgroups (20-40, 41-60 and ≥61 years old) were performed. The mean age was 39.29 (13.4) years and 53.1 (0.45) % were males. The mean BMI was 27.8 (6.20) kg/m². Overall, 1 g/d increase in sodium intake was associated with an increased systolic blood pressure by 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.58) mmHg, with a direct effect (0.14 (0.09-0.19)) and an indirect effect via BMI (0.23 (0.02-0.44)). The indirect effect was mainly observed in participants ≤60 years old.

CONCLUSION

Sodium intake showed both direct effect and indirect effect (via BMI) on systolic blood pressure in US NHANES. The findings provide evidence for combining sodium restriction and weight reduction measures for prevention of hypertension. Cautions should be taken when generalizing the findings to other populations with lower average BMI.

Treatment Burden in People with Hypertension is Correlated with Patient Experience with Self-Management

INTRODUCTION

New hypertension guidelines in the United States may require more people to take multiple medications or implement lifestyle changes. Increased treatment burden may be an unintended consequence and lead to worse health outcomes. Our study examined whether treatment burden is associated with factors related to self-management in those with hypertension.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional mailed survey of patients from 2 medical centers in Minnesota. Participants with 2 or more medical conditions completed the Patient Experience with Treatment and Self-management (PETS), a validated treatment burden questionnaire, as well as measures of confidence in self-management ability, health literacy, health care-related financial difficulties, and perception of provider interpersonal skills. We used partial correlation analyses, controlling for age, sex, race, and education, to test relationships among study variables.

RESULTS

Of 254 respondents who had a diagnosis of hypertension, 54% were female, 74% were non-Hispanic White, and the mean age was 67 years. People with hypertension who reported having lower confidence in self-management ability, lower health literacy, more financial difficulties, and health care providers with poorer interpersonal skills reported higher treatment burden scores (PETS scales correlation magnitude range 0.09 to 0.62, P < .05 on all but 4). The strongest associations were observed for medical information and physical/mental exhaustion with self-management (correlation magnitudes from 0.25 to 0.54, P < .01).

DISCUSSION

Hypertension treatment guideline stringent blood pressure criteria may lead to more interventions-medical or lifestyle-creating strains on populations already challenged by abstract disease self-management and at risk of experiencing disparities in cardiovascular health outcomes.

Association Between Blood Pressure Classification Using the 2017 ACC/AHA Blood Pressure Guideline and Retinal Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

We aimed to explore the association between the blood pressure (BP) classification defined by the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guideline and the prevalence of retinal atherosclerosis.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective observational cross-sectional analysis using the JMDC Claims Database. We analyzed 280,599 subjects not taking any antihypertensive medications. According to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline, each subject was categorized as having normal BP (n = 159,524), elevated BP (n = 35,603), stage 1 hypertension (n = 54,795), or stage 2 hypertension (n = 30,677) using the BP value at the initial health checkup. Retinal photographs were assessed according to the Keith-Wagener-Barker system.

RESULTS

The median age was 46 years, and 50.4% subjects were men. Retinal atherosclerosis, defined as Keith-Wagener-Barker system grade ≥1, was observed in 3.2% in normal BP, 5.2% in elevated BP, 7.7% in stage 1 hypertension, and 18.7% in stage 2 hypertension. Compared with normal BP, elevated BP (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.38), stage 1 hypertension (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.64-1.79), and stage 2 hypertension (OR, 4.10; 95% CI, 3.93-4.28) were associated with a higher prevalence of retinal atherosclerosis. Among 92,121 subjects without obesity, high waist circumference, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption, elevated BP (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.19-1.51), stage 1 hypertension (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.61-1.98), and stage 2 hypertension (OR, 4.42; 95% CI, 4.00-4.92) were associated with a higher prevalence of retinal atherosclerosis. This association was observed in all subgroups stratified by age or sex.

CONCLUSIONS

Our investigation suggests that retinal atherosclerosis could start even in individuals with elevated BP and stage 1 hypertension.

Impact of the 2020 China Diabetes Society Guideline on the Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and Eligibility for Antidiabetic Treatment in China

Purpose

This study aimed to estimate the impact of the 2020 China Diabetes Society's (CDS) guideline on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and eligibility for antidiabetic treatment in China.

Material and Methods

Baseline data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011-2012) were used to estimate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and compare the recommendations for antidiabetic medication and intensification of therapy between the 2017 and 2020 CDS guidelines.

Results

According to the 2017 CDS guideline, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 12.56% among Chinese adults who were ≥45 years of age. However, according to the 2020 CDS guideline, 0.65% (0.35%, 1.20%), or 3.54 (2.50, 4.57) million Chinese adults who were ≥45 years would additionally be diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Among Chinese adults not taking antidiabetic medications, 1.06% (0.87%, 1.28%), or 5.37 (4.36, 6.38) million Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus were recommended to start antidiabetic medication according to the 2017 CDS guideline, while 1.27% (1.01%, 1.58%), or 6.44 (5.29, 7.60) million Chinese adults with diabetes would be recommended to initiate antidiabetic medication according to the 2020 CDS guideline. Among Chinese adults taking antidiabetic medication, 51.59% (44.19%, 58.93%), or 18.35 (15.58, 21.12) million Chinese adults with diabetes received antidiabetic treatment but had a hemoglobin A1c (HbA_1c) level higher than that mentioned in the 2017 and 2020 CDS guidelines.

Conclusion

The addition of HbA_1c in the 2020 CDS guideline will result in a modest increase in the number of Chinese adults who are diagnosed with diabetes and diabetes patients recommended for antidiabetic medication; however, the 2020 CDS guideline does not affect the number of diabetes patients eligible for intensification of treatment.

Regional impact of updated guidelines on prevalence and distribution of blood pressure categories for hypertension in India: Results from the National Family Health Survey 4

Introduction

In 2017, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association revised guidelines for diagnosis and management of hypertension in adults. The regional impact of the updated guidelines on the prevalence of hypertension in India is unknown.

Methods

Data from nationally representative Indian households were analyzed to estimate the regional prevalence of hypertension according to the old and the new guidelines in men (age 18–54 years) and women (age 18–49 years). The old guidelines defined hypertension as a systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mmHg or treatment. The new guidelines define hypertension as a systolic blood pressure of ≥130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of ≥80 mmHg or treatment. We calculated the increase in the prevalence of hypertension among the states and union territories of India (hereafter “states”).

Results

Among 679,712 participants (85.6% women), the median age was 31 years (interquartile range 24, 40) and was comparable among men and women (33 vs. 31 years, respectively). The overall weighted prevalence according to old and new guidelines was 18.5% (95% CI 18.2, 18.7) and 43.0% (95% CI 42.8, 43.3), respectively. There was a significant increase in hypertension prevalence, both among men and women, and across all regions. The northeast region of the country had the highest prevalence.

Conclusion

The overall prevalence of hypertension significantly increases with the new compared to the old guidelines, however, the regional heterogeneity of prevalence of hypertension is maintained.

Association between blood pressure categories and cardiovascular disease mortality in China

BACKGROUND

Blood pressure (BP) categories are useful to simplify preventions in public health, and diagnostic and treatment approaches in clinical practice. Updated evidence about the associations of BP categories with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and its subtypes is warranted.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

About 0.5 million adults aged 30 to 79 years were recruited from 10 areas in China during 2004-2008. The present study included 430 977 participants without antihypertension treatment, cancer, or CVD at baseline. BP was measured at least twice in a single visit at baseline and CVD deaths during follow-up were collected via registries and the national health insurance databases. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate the associations between BP categories and CVD mortality. Overall, 16.3% had prehypertension-low, 25.1% had prehypertension-high, 14.1% had isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), 1.9% had isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH), and 9.1% had systolic-diastolic hypertension (SDH). During a median 10-year follow-up, 9660 CVD deaths were documented. Compared with normal, the hazard ratios (95% CI) of prehypertension-low, prehypertension-high, ISH, IDH, SDH for CVD were 1.10 (1.01-1.19), 1.32 (1.23-1.42), 2.04 (1.91-2.19), 2.20 (1.85-2.61), and 3.81 (3.54-4.09), respectively. All hypertension subtypes were related to the increased risk of CVD subtypes, with a stronger association for hemorrhagic stroke than for ischemic heart disease. The associations were stronger in younger than older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Prehypertension-high should be considered in CVD primary prevention given its high prevalence and increased CVD risk. All hypertension subtypes were independently associated with CVD and its subtypes mortality, though the strength of associations varied substantially.

Impact of 2017 ACC/AHA guideline on prevalence, awareness, treatment, control, and determinants of hypertension: a population-based cross-sectional study in southwest of Iran

Background

In 2017, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) provided a new guideline for hypertension prevention and management. We aimed to update the prevalence, awareness, control, and determinants of hypertension based on this guideline in Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran, and to estimate the number of people who are eligible for non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic intervention.

Methods

This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Khuzestan, a large province in the southwest of Iran. Comprehensive information about the potential relating factors of hypertension was collected, blood pressure was measured, and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Moreover, the dietary pattern was evaluated in 2830 individuals, using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire.

Results

Among 30,506 participants, 30,424 individuals aged 20–65 years were eligible for the study. In comparison with the previous guideline released by the Joint National Committee (JNC8), the prevalence of hypertension in Khuzestan dramatically increased from 15.81 to 42.85% after implementation of the ACC/AHA guideline, which was more dominant in the male population and the 45–54 age group. The sex and age adjustment of the hypertension prevalence was estimated to be 39.40%. The percentage of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control were 45.85%, 35.42%, and 59.63%, which dropped to 22.72%, 26.37%, and 28.94% after implementation of new guideline, respectively.

Conclusions

In the ACC/AHA guideline, a higher number of individuals with the pre-hypertension condition were shifted into the hypertension category and the level of awareness, treatment, and control were dramatically decreased, which highlight a great need to expand the public health infrastructure for further managing the substantial increased burden on healthcare system. However, further studies with population over 65 years are required to estimate the eligibility for antihypertensive treatment in this province after implementation of new guideline.

Variation in hypertension clinical practice guidelines: a global comparison

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is the largest single contributor to the global burden of disease, affecting an estimated 1.39 billion people worldwide. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) can aid in the effective management of this common condition, however, inconsistencies exist between CPGs, and the extent of this is unknown. Understanding the differences in CPG recommendations across income settings may provide an important means of understanding some of the global variations in clinical outcomes related to hypertension.

AIMS

This study aims to analyse the variation between hypertension CPGs globally. It aims to assess the variation in three areas: diagnostic threshold and staging, treatment and target blood pressure (BP) recommendations in hypertension.

METHODS

A search was conducted on the MEDLINE repository to identify national and international hypertension CPGs from 2010 to May 2020. An additional country-specific grey-literature search was conducted for all countries and territories of the world as identified by the World Bank. Data describing the diagnosis, staging, treatment and target blood pressure were extracted from CPGs, and variations between CPGs for these domains were analysed.

RESULTS

Forty-eight CPGs from across all World Bank income settings were selected for analysis. Ninety-six per cent of guidelines defined hypertension as a clinic-based BP of ≥140/90 mmHg, and 87% of guidelines recommended a target BP of < 140/90 mmHg. In the pharmacological treatment of hypertension, eight different first-step, 17 different second-step and six different third-step drug recommendations were observed. Low-income countries preferentially recommended diuretics (63%) in the first-step treatment, whilst high-income countries offered more choice between antihypertensive classes. Forty-four per cent of guidelines, of which 71% were from higher-income contexts recommended initiating treatment with dual-drug therapy at BP 160/100 mmHg or higher.

CONCLUSION

This study found that CPGs remained largely consistent in the definition, staging and target BP recommendations for hypertension. Extensive variation was observed in treatment recommendations, particularly for second-line therapy. Variation existed between income settings; low-income countries prescribed cheaper drugs, offered less clinician choice in medications and initiated dual therapy at later stages than higher-income countries. Future research exploring the underlying drivers of this variation may improve outcomes for hypertensive patients across clinical contexts.

The Rates and the Determinants of Hypertension According to the 2017 Definition of Hypertension by ACC/AHA and 2014 Evidence-Based Guidelines Among Population Aged ≥40 Years Old

Background:

In November 2017, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) updated their definition of hypertension from 140/90 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg.

Objectives:

We sought to assess the situation of hypertension and the impact of applying the new threshold to a geographically and ethnically diverse population.

Methods:

We analyzed selected data on 237,142 participants aged ≥40 who had blood pressure taken for the 2014 China National Stroke Screening and Prevention Project. Choropleth maps and logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence, geographical distribution and risk factors of hypertension using both 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines and 2014 evidence-based guidelines.

Results:

The present cross-sectional study showed the age- and sex-standardized prevalence of hypertension was 37.08% and 58.52%, respectively, according to 2014 evidence-based guidelines and 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines. The distribution of hypertension and risk factors changed little between guidelines, with data showing a high prevalence of hypertension around Bohai Gulf and in south central coastal areas using either definition. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of newly labeled as hypertensive was 21.44%. Interestingly, the high prevalence region of newly labeled as hypertensive was found in the north China.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of hypertension increased significantly on 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines compared to the prevalence when using 2014 evidence-based guidelines, with high prevalence areas of newly labeled as hypertensive now seen mainly in north China. There need to be correspondingly robust efforts to improve health education, health management, and behavioral and lifestyle interventions in the north.

Risk factors for postoperative bleeding after endoscopic sinus surgery to treat chronic rhinosinusitis

BACKGROUND

Although there has been progress in improving endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), patients undergoing ESS are still at risk of postoperative bleeding. Little attention has been given to identifying specific risk factors for postoperative bleeding after ESS to treat chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors associated with postoperative bleeding in patients who underwent ESS to treat CRS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six hundred and five patients with CRS who underwent ESS between 2017 and 2020 were included in this retrospective analysis. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess the association between the incidence of postoperative bleeding and the background characteristics.

RESULTS

Out of 605 ESSs, 36 (6.0%) patients developed postoperative bleeding. Multiple logistic regression revealed that the use of antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant drugs, the presence of hypertension and the Lund-Mackay CT score were significantly correlated with the occurrence of postoperative bleeding.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative bleeding is a common complication following ESS. The risk factors for postoperative bleeding were as follows: the use of antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant drugs, hypertension and the Lund-Mackay CT score.

Variation in the Proportion of Adults in Need of Blood Pressure-Lowering Medications by Hypertension Care Guideline in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1 037 215 Individuals From 50 Nationally Representative Surveys

BACKGROUND

Current hypertension guidelines vary substantially in their definition of who should be offered blood pressure-lowering medications. Understanding the effect of guideline choice on the proportion of adults who require treatment is crucial for planning and scaling up hypertension care in low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS

We extracted cross-sectional data on age, sex, blood pressure, hypertension treatment and diagnosis status, smoking, and body mass index for adults 30 to 70 years of age from nationally representative surveys in 50 low- and middle-income countries (N = 1 037 215). We aimed to determine the effect of hypertension guideline choice on the proportion of adults in need of blood pressure-lowering medications. We considered 4 hypertension guidelines: the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline, the commonly used 140/90 mm Hg threshold, the 2016 World Health Organization HEARTS guideline, and the 2019 UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline.

RESULTS

The proportion of adults in need of blood pressure-lowering medications was highest under the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, followed by the 140/90 mm Hg, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and World Health Organization guidelines (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association: women, 27.7% [95% CI, 27.2-28.2], men, 35.0% [95% CI, 34.4-35.7]; 140/90 mm Hg: women, 26.1% [95% CI, 25.5-26.6], men, 31.2% [95% CI, 30.6-31.9]; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: women, 11.8% [95% CI, 11.4-12.1], men, 15.7% [95% CI, 15.3-16.2]; World Health Organization: women, 9.2% [95% CI, 8.9-9.5], men, 11.0% [95% CI, 10.6-11.4]). Individuals who were unaware that they have hypertension were the primary contributor to differences in the proportion needing treatment under different guideline criteria. Differences in the proportion needing blood pressure-lowering medications were largest in the oldest (65-69 years) age group (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association: women, 60.2% [95% CI, 58.8-61.6], men, 70.1% [95% CI, 68.8-71.3]; World Health Organization: women, 20.1% [95% CI, 18.8-21.3], men, 24.1.0% [95% CI, 22.3-25.9]). For both women and men and across all guidelines, countries in the European and Eastern Mediterranean regions had the highest proportion of adults in need of blood pressure-lowering medicines, whereas the South and Central Americas had the lowest.

CONCLUSIONS

There was substantial variation in the proportion of adults in need of blood pressure-lowering medications depending on which hypertension guideline was used. Given the great implications of this choice for health system capacity, policy makers will need to carefully consider which guideline they should adopt when scaling up hypertension care in their country.

Applicability and cost-effectiveness of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) in the Chinese population: A cost-effectiveness modeling study

BACKGROUND

The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) showed significant reductions in death and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of <120 mm Hg compared with a SBP goal of <140 mm Hg. Our study aimed to assess the applicability of SPRINT to Chinese adults. Additionally, we sought to predict the medical and economic implications of this intensive SBP treatment among those meeting SPRINT eligibility.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We used nationally representative baseline data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) (2011-2012) to estimate the prevalence and number of Chinese adults aged 45 years and older who meet SPRINT criteria. A validated microsimulation model was employed to project costs, clinical outcomes, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) among SPRINT-eligible adults, under 2 alternative treatment strategies (SBP goal of <120 mm Hg [intensive treatment] and SBP goal of <140 mm Hg [standard treatment]). Overall, 22.2% met the SPRINT criteria, representing 116.2 (95% CI 107.5 to 124.8) million people in China. Of these, 66.4%, representing 77.2 (95% CI 69.3 to 85.0) million, were not being treated for hypertension, and 22.9%, representing 26.6 (95% CI 22.4 to 30.7) million, had a SBP between 130 and 139 mm Hg, yet were not taking antihypertensive medication. We estimated that over 5 years, compared to standard treatment, intensive treatment would reduce heart failure incidence by 0.84 (95% CI 0.42 to 1.25) million cases, reduce CVD deaths by 2.03 (95% CI 1.44 to 2.63) million cases, and save 3.84 (95% CI 1.53 to 6.34) million life-years. Estimated reductions of 0.069 (95% CI -0.28, 0.42) million myocardial infarction cases and 0.36 (95% CI -0.10, 0.82) million stroke cases were not statistically significant. Furthermore, over a lifetime, moving from standard to intensive treatment increased the mean QALYs from 9.51 to 9.87 (an increment of 0.38 [95% CI 0.13 to 0.71]), at a cost of Int$10,997 per QALY gained. Of all 1-way sensitivity analyses, high antihypertensive drug cost and lower treatment efficacy for CVD death resulted in the 2 most unfavorable results (Int$25,291 and Int$18,995 per QALY were gained, respectively). Simulation results indicated that intensive treatment could be cost-effective (82.8% probability of being below the willingness-to-pay threshold of Int$16,782 [1× GDP per capita in China in 2017]), with a lower probability in people with SBP 130-139 mm Hg (72.9%) but a higher probability among females (91.2%). Main limitations include lack of specific SPRINT eligibility information in the CHARLS survey, uncertainty about the implications of different blood pressure measurement techniques, the use of several sources of data with large reliance on findings from SPPRINT, limited information about the serious adverse event rate, and lack of information and evidence for medication effectiveness on renal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Although adoption of the SPRINT treatment strategy would increase the number of Chinese adults requiring SBP treatment intensification, this approach has the potential to prevent CVD events, to produce gains in life-years, and to be cost-effective under common thresholds.

Joint effect of alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking on all-cause mortality and premature death in China: A cohort study

BACKGROUND

Tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking are associated with several diseases, and studies on the joint effects of smoking and drinking are rare.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the joint effects of tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking on all-cause and premature mortality in a contemporary cohort.

METHODS

The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) is an ongoing nationally representative survey of subjects aged over 45 years in China that was performed every two years for a total of three waves from 2011 to 2015 in China. We used weighted logistic regression models to estimate the joint effects of tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking on all-cause and premature mortality.

RESULTS

After adjusting for prespecified confounders, the odds ratios (ORs) of all-cause mortality were 1.51 (95% CI: 1.09-2.10) and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.03-2.08) in smokers and smokers/drinkers, respectively. Compared with nonsmokers/nondrinkers, the OR of smokers/drinkers for premature death was 3.14 (95% CI: 1.56-6.34). In the female subgroup, there was an approximately 5-fold (OR = 4.95; 95% CI: 2.00-12.27) odds of premature mortality for smokers/drinkers compared to nonsmokers/nondrinkers.

CONCLUSION

This study found a joint effect of tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking on all-cause and premature mortality among a contemporary and nationally representative cohort in China. Our results suggested that the joint effects were more pronounced in women, but further research is needed.

Impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on the prevalence of hypertension among Indian adults: Results from a cross-sectional survey

Background

The impact of the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for diagnosis and management of hypertension on the prevalence of hypertension in India is unknown.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Cardiac Prevent 2015 survey to estimate the change in the prevalence of hypertension. The JNC8 guidelines defined hypertension as a systolic blood pressure of ≥140 ​mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 ​mmHg. The 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines define hypertension as a systolic blood pressure of ≥130 ​mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of ≥80 ​mmHg. We standardized the prevalence as per the 2011 census population of India. We also calculated the prevalence as per the World Health Organization (WHO) World Standard Population (2000–2025).

Results

Among 180,335 participants (33.2% women), the mean age was 40.6 ​± ​14.9 years (41.1 ​± ​15.0 and 39.7 ​± ​14.7 years in men and women, respectively). Among them, 8,898 (4.9%), 99,791 (55.3%), 35,694 (11.9%), 23,084 (12.8%), 9,989 (5.5%) and 2,878 (1.6%) participants belonged to age group 18–19, 20–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–74 and ​≥ ​75 years respectively. The prevalence of hypertension according to the JNC8 and 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines was 29.7% and 63.8%, respectively- an increase of 115%. With the 2011 census population of India, this suggests that currently, 486 million Indian adults have hypertension according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines, an addition of 260 million as compared to the JNC8 guidelines.

Conclusion

According to the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines, 3 in every 5 Indian adults have hypertension.

Implementation of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines on Hypertension in Clinical Practice

Background: The 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines on hypertension recommend a threshold blood pressure (BP) of ≥130/80 mmHg for diagnosis of hypertension and treating hypertension to a goal BP of <130/80 mmHg. For this study, we assessed the rate of compliance to the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guidelines by internal medicine residents and cardiology fellows in clinics affiliated with a teaching hospital in New York, New York. Methods: We conducted a retrospective medical records review for patients who had a clinical encounter at the internal medicine resident and cardiology fellow clinics from January to February 2019. To distinguish from adherence with prior guidelines, patients with BP of 130-139/80-89 mmHg (unless age ≥60 years and systolic blood pressure [SBP] 140-149 mmHg without chronic kidney disease or diabetes) were included. The primary outcome was accurate assessment of uncontrolled BP in accordance with the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines. Results: Included in the analysis were 435 patients from the internal medicine resident clinic and 127 patients from the cardiology fellow clinic. Accurate assessment of uncontrolled BP was higher in the cardiology fellow clinic compared to the internal medicine resident clinic (29.1% vs 10.3%, P<0.001), even after adjusting for baseline characteristics differences between the 2 clinics. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the type of clinic (internal medicine, odds ratio [OR] 0.27, 95% CI 0.16-0.47; P<0.001), established diagnosis of hypertension (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.06-3.99; P<0.001), and SBP (OR 1.16 per mmHg, 95% CI 1.11-1.22; P=0.031) were independently associated with the primary outcome. Conclusion: Cardiology fellows were better at identifying hypertension diagnosis thresholds and BP treatment goals in accordance with 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines compared to internal medicine residents.

Secular trends of hypertension prevalence based on 2017 ACC/AHA and 2018 Chinese hypertension guidelines: Results from CHNS data (1991-2015)

This study aimed to assess the impact of the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline and the 2018 Chinese hypertension guidelines on the different secular trends for hypertension prevalence. A total of 82 665 eligible individuals aged ≥20 years were selected from nine cross-sectional study periods (1991-2015) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Over the 24-year period, the long-term trend for the prevalence of the 2017 ACC/AHA-defined age-adjusted hypertension showed an increase from 32.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 31.0%-33.3%) in 1991 to 60.0% (95% CI: 58.6%-61.3%) in 2015 (Ptrend  < 0.001). According to the 2018 Chinese guideline for hypertension, the weighted hypertension prevalence increased from 10.0% (95% CI: 9.4%-10.5%) in 1991 to 28.7% (95% CI: 27.9%-29.6%) in 2015 (Ptrend  < 0.001). However, slopes of increasing prevalence of hypertension were significantly greater according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline than that based on Joint National Committee (JNC 7) report (β = 1.00% vs β = 0.67% per year, respectively, P = 0.041). Based on the 2017 ACC/AHA definition, the prevalence of stage 1 hypertension and elevated blood pressure significantly increase from 22.3% and 6.9% in 1991 to 31.2% and 10.1% in 2015 (all P < 0.05), respectively. The secular trend for the prevalence of hypertension according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline showed a greater rate of increase compared with the prevalence based on the 2018 Chinese hypertension guidelines. Public health initiatives should focus on the current status of hypertension in China because of the possible high prevalence of hypertension and concomitant vascular risks.