Potential Impact of the New American High Blood Pressure Guidelines on Hypertension Prevalence in a Primary Health Care Unit in Rio de Janeiro – the LapARC Study

Abstract Background The new American Heart Association guidelines for hypertension (HT) proposed a reduction of the diagnostic cut-off point, leading to a substantial increase in the prevalence of HT. Objectives To assess the prevalence of HT determined by the traditional criteria, the AHA criteria, and home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) in a population of young adults attending a primary healthcare unit, and its association with cardiovascular risk. Methods A cross-sectional population study on adults aged from 20 to 50 years attending a primary healthcare unit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazi...