Research has found that if patients with hypertension taking prescribed medications experience unusually low blood pressures (systolic blood pressure under 110mmHg), they are twice as likely to experience a fall or faint as patients whose treated blood pressure remains 110mmHg and above. This research is important because late last year, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology lowered their definition of high blood pressure (from a systolic blood pressure of at least 140 to a systolic of at least 130). Efforts to reduce blood pressure for patients with hypertension are an important factor in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. To determine the effects of blood pressure reduction among hypertension on patients, the team of researchers studied the electronic health records of more than 475,000 patients in Southern California who were prescribed medication to treat hypertension. The findings have been published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine .
