by Debbie Woelfel, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator
The American Heart Association has released new guidelines for blood pressure. Previously, high blood pressure was defined as a blood pressure higher than 140/90. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes-the two leading causes of death. The goal of these new guidelines is to identify high blood pressure at an earlier stage so that people can make changes to prevent future heart attacks and strokes.