title: 2014 hypertension recommendations from the eighth joint national committee panel members raise concerns for elderly black and female populations.
abstract: A report from panel members appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee titled "2014 Evidence-Based Guideline for the Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults" has garnered much attention due to its major change in recommendations for hypertension treatment for patients ≥60 years of age and for their treatment goal. In response, certain groups have opposed the decision to initiate pharmacologic treatment to lower blood pressure (BP) at systolic BP ≥150 mm Hg and treat to a goal systolic BP of <150 mm Hg in the general population age ≥60 years. This paper contains 3 sections-an introduction followed by the opinions of 2 writing groups-outlining objections to or support of maintaining this proposed strategy in certain at-risk populations, namely African Americans, women, and the elderly. Several authors argue for maintaining current targets, as opposed to adopting the new recommendations, to allow for optimal treatment for older women and African Americans, helping to close sex and race/ethnicity gaps in cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.
authors: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Electronic address: Lawrence.krakoff@mountsinai.org.
authors: Lawrence R
authors: LR
authors: Krakoff
authors: Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group, San Diego, California. Electronic address: robert.gillespie@sharp.com.
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Gillespie
authors: Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors: Keith C
authors: KC
authors: Ferdinand
authors: Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors: Icilma V
authors: IV
authors: Fergus
authors: Queens Heart Institute, Rosedale, New York.
authors: Ola
authors: O
authors: Akinboboye
authors: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
authors: Kim A
authors: KA
authors: Williams
authors: St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors: Mary Norine
authors: MN
authors: Walsh
authors: Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, California.
authors: C Noel
authors: CN
authors: Bairey Merz
authors: Division of Cardiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Electronic address: carl.pepine@medicine.ufl.edu.
authors: Carl J
authors: CJ
authors: Pepine
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D032802:Committee Membership; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: hypertension and prevention/hypertension; quality of care and outcomes assessment/appropriateness; quality of care and outcomes assessment/quality of care