Have we been getting blood pressure wrong? Making NHS target figure lower could save thousands of lives

Introducing a lower blood pressure target than the one currently in place could save thousands of lives a year, a study shows.

Official NHS guidance says that ideal pressure is between 90/60 and 120/80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

Patients with high blood pressure are typically treated with the aim of getting the systolic pressure — the higher number representing the force at which the heart pumps blood around the body — down to 140mmHg.

But research suggests that lowering this to 120mmHg would prevent more heart attacks and strokes, while remaining safe.

A quarter of adults in the UK – 14.4 million people – are thought to have high blood pressure, increasing the chances of health problems such as heart attack, stroke and vascular dementia.

Researchers studied more than 11,000 people who were at high risk of cardiovascular problems from conditions such as diabetes, age and lifestyle factors, like smoking.

Patients from 116 hospitals across China were put into two groups aiming to lower blood pressure to less than 120mmHg or the standard treatment of 140mmHg.

They were given blood pressure- lowering medications alongside recommendations such as exercise, then followed up monthly for the first three months and then three-monthly after that.

Their medication was adjusted to maintain the desired levels, then followed up more than three years later. 

Of those in the lower blood pressure target group, 9.7 per cent went on to experience a major cardiovascular event, such as heart failure. 

This compared with 11.1 per cent of those who had a target blood pressure of less than 140mmHg, according to the findings published in The Lancet.

The authors said a lower blood pressure target of less than 120mmHg should be considered for all patients with high cardiovascular risk, regardless of diabetes status or history of stroke.

Official NHS guidance says that ideal pressure is between 90/60 and 120/80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) (stock photo) 

Jing Li, of the National Centre for Cardiovascular Diseases in Beijing, said: ‘Implementing this intensive treatment strategy for high-risk adults has the potential to save more lives and reduce the public health burden of heart disease.’

It comes after a UK study found fluctuations in blood pressure is a major predictor of heart attack and stroke risk.

Earlier this year, Imperial College researchers found that more than half of incidents occurred in patients whose blood pressure was well-controlled with medication –below 140 mmHg – suggesting the threshold is insufficient.

But experts said the findings do not necessarily mean everyone should go on medication.

Professor Nilesh Samani, former medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘It’s also important to remember that blood pressure can be improved by means other than medication such as exercise and losing weight.’

He said those worried about their blood pressure should see a GP.