T
he American Heart Asso-
ciation (AHA), the American
College of Cardiology (ACC),
and the American Society of Hy-
pertension (ASH) recently issued
new recommendations for treat-
ing hypertension in patients
who have been diagnosed with
coronary heart disease, stroke, or
other forms of heart disease. The
3 medical organizations jointly
issued a statement published in
the AHA's journal Hypertension in
which they addressed treatment
goals for patients with high blood
pressure who also have vascular
diseases (Table).
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
develops when the coronary arter-
ies become damaged or diseased.
Coronary arteries are the major
blood vessels that supply the heart
with blood, oxygen, and nutri-
ents. When plaques (cholesterol-
containing deposits) build up,
they narrow the coronary arter-
ies, decreasing blood flow to the
heart. Eventually, the decreased
blood flow may cause chest pain
(angina), shortness of breath, and
a heart attack (if blockage is com-
plete).
Measuring Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is recorded as 2
numbers: systolic and diastolic.
These numbers measure the
amount of force pushing against
arterial walls when the heart is
contracting and when the heart is
at rest. The systolic measurement
is the top number and the higher
of the 2 numbers; it measures the
pressure in the arteries when the
heart muscle contracts. The dia-
stolic measurement is the bottom
number and the lower of the 2
numbers; it measures the pressure
in the arteries when the heart
muscle is resting between beats
and refilling with blood.
More attention is usually given
to systolic blood pressure, rather
page 64
Hypertension
Beth Bolt, RPh
62 PharmacyTimes.com December 2015
Beth is a clinical pharmacist and medical editor
residing in Northern California.
New Treatment Guidelines