Novant Health House Call: New Blood Pressure Guidelines

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and nine other groups redefined high blood pressure on Monday, tightening the guidelines with their first change in 14 years.

The change means that 46 percent of U.S. adults, many of them under the age of 45, now will be considered hypertensive. Under the previous guidelines, 32 percent of U.S. adults had high blood pressure.

Dr. Sandy Charles, cardiologist, Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute stops by to discuss these new guidelines.