New guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recommend earlier treatment to address high blood pressure. That includes lifestyle changes and medication, to lower those risks of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and dementia.

The update, released Thursday, emphasizes healthy habits such as eating a nutritious, low-sodium diet, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight and managing stress. It also highlights the importance of close blood pressure monitoring before, during and after pregnancy to reduce serious complications like preeclampsia.

A key addition is the use of the PREVENT risk calculator , which estimates a person’s 10- and 30-year risk for cardiovascular disease by factoring in blood pressure, cholesterol,

See Full Page