. 2020 Feb 18;50(6):485–498. doi: 10.4070/kcj.2019.0347

Table 1. BP levels used to define hypertension, recommended antihypertensive medication, and treatment goal according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and 2018 KSH guidelines.

Target population				2017 ACC/AHA	2018 KSH
Guideline definition of hypertension
	SBP (mmHg)
		All population		≥130	≥140
	DBP (mmHg)
		All population		≥80	≥90
Guideline-recommended antihypertensive medication
	SBP (mmHg)
		General population		≥140	≥140
		≥60 yrs of age without diabetes or CKD		-^*	≥150
		Diabetes mellitus		≥130	≥140
		Chronic kidney disease		≥130	-^*
		High cardiovascular disease risk		≥130	≥130
	DBP (mmHg)
		General population		≥90	≥90
		≥60 yrs of age without diabetes or CKD		-^*	≥90
		Diabetes mellitus		≥80	≥85
		Chronic kidney disease		≥80	-^*
		High cardiovascular disease risk^‡		≥80	≥80
Guideline treatment goal among those taking antihypertensive medication
	SBP (mmHg)
		General population		<130	<140
		Age ≥65 yrs		<130	<140
		Diabetes mellitus		<130
			Uncomplicated		<140
			Complicated^†		<130
		Chronic kidney disease		<130
			Without albuminuria		<140
			With albuminuria^§		<130
		High cardiovascular disease risk^‡		-^*	≤130
			Cardiovascular disease	-^*	≤130
			Cerebrovascular disease	-^*	≤140
	DBP (mmHg)
		General population		<80	<90
		Age≥65 yrs		-^*	<90
		Diabetes mellitus		<80
			Uncomplicated		<90
			Complicated^†		<80
		Chronic kidney disease		<80
			Without albuminuria		<90
			With albuminuria^§		<80
		High cardiovascular disease risk^‡		-^*	≤80
			Cardiovascular disease	-^*	≤80
			Cerebrovascular disease	-^*	<90

For 2018 KSH guideline, 10-year predicted ASCVD risk ≥15% qualifies as high risk.

ACC = American College of Cardiology; AHA = American Heart Association; ASCVD = atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; BP = blood pressure; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; KSH = Korean Society of Hypertension; SBP = systolic blood pressure.

^*No specific BP threshold is provided in the guideline for this population. ^†Complicated by sub-clinical organ damage or cardiovascular diseases. ^‡For 2017 ACC/AHA guideline, high cardiovascular disease risk is defined as a history of cardiovascular disease or 10-year predicted ASCVD risk ≥10% using the Pooled Cohort Equation. ^‡High risk, elderly patients should be followed by elderly patients' criteria. ^§Including microalbuminuria.