Clinical Practice Guideline

Hypertension

Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults

(Developed by the AAFP, July 2022)

The 2022 Blood Pressure Targets in Adults With Hypertension: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the AAFP, was developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians and approved by the Board of Directors in July 2022. The guideline was then published in the American Family Physician.

Key Recommendations

Treat adults who have hypertension to a standard blood pressure target (less than 140/90 mm Hg) to reduce the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (strong recommendation; high-quality evidence).
- Treating to a lower blood pressure target (less than 135/85 mm Hg) does not provide additional benefit at preventing mortality; however, a lower blood pressure target could be considered based on patient preferences and value.
Consider treating adults who have hypertension to a lower blood pressure target (less than 135/85 mm Hg) to reduce risk of myocardial infarction (weak recommendation; moderate-quality evidence).
- Although treatment to a standard blood pressure target (less than 140/90 mm Hg) reduced the risk of myocardial infarction, there was a small additional benefit observed with a lower blood pressure target. There was no observed additional benefit in preventing stroke with the lower blood pressure target.

More About Practice Guidelines

These recommendations are provided only as assistance for physicians making clinical decisions regarding the care of their patients. As such, they cannot substitute for the individual judgment brought to each clinical situation by the patient's family physician. As with all clinical reference resources, they reflect the best understanding of the science of medicine at the time of publication, but they should be used with the clear understanding that continued research may result in new knowledge and recommendations. These recommendations are only one element in the complex process of improving the health of America. To be effective, the recommendations must be implemented.