2014 Guideline for the Management of High Blood Pressure (Eighth Joint National Committee). Take-Home Messages.

The JNC 8 guidelines focus on 3 highest-ranked clinical questions that include BP thresholds for starting therapy, specific BP goals, and risks and benefits of specific antihypertensive drugs. Only randomized controlled trial data were used and JNC 8 panel did not include observational studies, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses. The investigators also suggested that benefit of lowering BP to less than 140/90 is not clear. Lifestyle modifications were considered very important for all patients with hypertension. These recommendations are not alternatives for clinical judgment, and decisions about medical care must be individualized to each patient.