[Status of mild hypertension guidelines in Japan and abroad]

Abstract

Historically patients with systolic blood pressure level 140 to 159 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure level 90 to 99 mmHg had been defined as mild hypertension. However, the word of mild hypertension is not used in recent guidelines, such as JNC 7 and ESH/ESC 2007, although it is still used in JSH2004 and BHS IV. Patients with mild hypertension in JSH2004 are diagnosed as high risk hypertension if these patients are complicated cardiovascular organ damage, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes mellitus etc. Personally, I think the word of mild hypertension should be changed to another word or applied to patients with low risk hypertension.