Figure 3.

Current classifications of high blood pressure

A comparison of the new definitions of normal blood pressure and the different grades of high blood pressure by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology

(ACC) with the definitions by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Society of Hypertension (ESH), as well as the most recent position of the German Hypertension League

(Deutsche Hochdruckliga, DHL) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the United Kingdom.

The lowering of cutoff values led to an increase in the prevalence of hypertension in the USA from 32% to 46%.

*The value refers to further measurements in the outpatient setting or at home.

DBP, diastolic blood pressure; SBP, systolic blood pressure