Blood Pressure Guidelines Move Away From Medication for All Older Americans

New guidelines emphasize personalized care, but some doctors worry about the risk. 
Blood Pressure Guidelines Move Away From Medication for All Older Americans
Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
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For years, turning 65 with a blood pressure reading above 130 meant one thing: medication.

A new analysis of the 2025 American Heart Association guidelines shows that this practice is changing, finding that roughly 10 percent of older adults previously flagged for treatment may no longer meet the criteria, a move experts say prevents overtreatment, but one that carries its own risks.

George Citroner
George Citroner
Author
George Citroner reports on health and medicine, covering topics that include cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. He was awarded the Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence (MORE) award in 2020 for a story on osteoporosis risk in men.