
Older JNC guidelines:
- JNC VI : Hypertension was classified into borderline, stage 1, 2 & 3.
- JNC VII: Includes pre-hypertension, stage 1 & 2. Target blood pressure goal (according to JNC VII) – 140/90 mm Hg for all, except patients with diabetes, chronic renal disease & ...
- JNC VII – BP classification
Full Answer
What are JNC 8 guidelines for hypertension?
The guidelines were created after a committee of experts synthesized all available scientific evidence and they were updated to provide guidance for doctors for the management of hypertension. JNC 8 recommends thresholds for treatment of high blood pressure, blood pressure goals, and evidence-based medication therapy.
What changes have been made to the JNC 7 guidelines?
Important changes from the JNC 7 guidelines 2 include the following: • In patients 60 years or older who do not have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, the goal blood pressure level is now <150/90 mm Hg.
What are the JNC 8 guidelines for first-line drugs?
1 Revisions in JNC 8 guidelines include first-line drugs as Thiazide, ACE inhibitors, ARBs & calcium channel blockers (CCBs). 2 Beta-blockers are no longer considered as first-line drugs, according toJNC 8 guidelines for hypertension. 3 ACE inhibitors/ARBs are first choice drugsin patients with CKD irrespective of ethnic backgrounds. More items...
Is the JNC 7 SBP goal for older adults reasonable?
However, in patients 60 years of age and older SBP control remains the most important factor. Other recent evidence suggests that the SBP goal <140 mmHg recommended by the JNC 7 guidelines for most patients may have been unnecessarily low.

What is the JNC?
- The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7)
What is JNC guideline?
Compared with previous hypertension treatment guidelines, the Joint National Committee (JNC 8) guidelines advise higher blood pressure goals and less use of several types of antihypertensive medications.
What is JNC criteria for hypertension?
According to JNC 7, the general BP goal is to lower systolic BP to less than 140 mm Hg and diastolic BP to less than 90 mm Hg. This recommendation is supported by many clinical trials. A more aggressive goal of less than 130/80 mm Hg is advised for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
What is the latest JNC?
The Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) recently released evidence-based recommendations on treatment thresholds, goals, and medications in the management of hypertension in adults.
When did JNC 8 guidelines come out?
In 2014, the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) published the evidence-based guideline for the management of high BP in adults. This new guideline was characterized by a systematic review of the literature with an emphasis on randomized, controlled clinical trials.
What are the new blood pressure guidelines for 2021?
Blood pressure categories in the new guideline are:Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg;Elevated: Top number (systolic) between 120-129 and bottom number (diastolic) less than 80;Stage 1: Systolic between 130-139 or diastolic between 80-89;Stage 2: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg;More items...•
What does JNC 8 mean?
Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC-8) Guidelines and the Outpatient Management of Hypertension in the African-American Population - PMC.
What is the difference between JNC 7 and JNC 8?
JNC 7 recommended a treatment threshold of 140/90 mm Hg regardless of age, whereas JNC 8 raises the systolic threshold at age 60. In addition, JNC 7 recommended a lower treatment threshold (130/80 mm Hg) for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, but JNC 8 does not.
What is hypertension according to JNC 8?
hypertension under the JNC 8 guidelines has a DBP goal of. <90 mm Hg. There is less evidence supporting an SBP target. of <140 mm Hg in this group of patients.
What does JNC 8 mean?
Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC-8) Guidelines and the Outpatient Management of Hypertension in the African-American Population - PMC.
What is the diagnostic criteria of hypertension based on the JNC 8 guidelines?
JNC 8 Recommendation 1 or diastolic BP (DBP) ≥90 mm Hg and treat to a goal SBP <150 mm Hg and goal DBP <90 mm Hg.
What is the difference between JNC 7 and JNC 8?
JNC 7 recommended a treatment threshold of 140/90 mm Hg regardless of age, whereas JNC 8 raises the systolic threshold at age 60. In addition, JNC 7 recommended a lower treatment threshold (130/80 mm Hg) for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, but JNC 8 does not.
How does JNC 8 define hypertension?
A systolic blood pressure greater than 140 or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90. The strict definition of hypertension has not changed.
What is the JNC 8 panel?
Like the JNC 7 panel, the JNC 8 panel recommended thiazide-type diuretics as initial therapy for most patients. Although ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are acceptable alternatives, thiazide-type diuretics still have the best evidence of efficacy. The JNC 8 panel does not recommend first-line therapy with beta-blockers ...
What is the JNC 8 diet plan?
Lifestyle interventions include use of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, weight loss, reduction in sodium intake to less than 2.4 grams per day , and at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week.
What is the SBP target for JNC 7?
Other recent evidence suggests that the SBP goal <140 mm Hg recommended by the JNC 7 guidelines for most patients may have been unnecessarily low. The JNC 8 guideline authors cite 2 trials that found no improvement in cardiovascular outcomes with an SBP target <140 mm Hg compared with a target SBP level <160 mm Hg or <150 mm Hg. Despite this finding, the new guidelines do not disallow treatment to a target SBP <140 mm Hg, but recommend caution to ensure that low SBP levels do not affect quality of life or lead to adverse events.
What is the systolic blood pressure goal for JNC 7?
The change to a more lenient systolic blood pressure goal may be confusing to many patients who are accustomed to the lower goals of JNC 7, including the <140/90 mm Hg goal for most patients and <130/80 mm Hg goal for patients with hypertension and major comorbidities.
When was JNC 8 published?
Patients will be asking about the new JNC 8 hypertension guidelines, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on December 18, 2013. 1
What is the goal level for kidney disease?
As a result, the new guidelines recommend that patients with chronic kidney disease receive medication sufficient to achieve the higher <140/90 mm Hg goal level. However, in an exception to this goal level, the guidelines suggest that patients with chronic kidney disease or albuminuria 70 years or older should receive treatment based on comorbidities, frailty, and other patient-specific factors.
What does JNC 8 mean?
JNC 8 recommends an increase in the initial drug dose or addition of a second drug from one of the recommended drug classes for your subgroup if you are not able to reach your blood pressure target within a month. If an increase in dose or addition of a new drug does not reduce your blood pressure to your target goal, ...
What is the JNC 8?
1 These guidelines were published by the 8th Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, known as JNC 8.
How many classes of medication are there in JNC 8?
JNC 8 changed the medication recommendations for initial treatment of hypertension, from 5 drug classes to 4 recommended classes. JNC 8 refined treatment recommendations to four classes of medication:
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When did the JNC V guidelines come out?
In the JNC V guidelines, issued in 1993 , there was a return to support of diuretics and beta blockers as first-line therapy unless there was a reason to use something else. In the JNC VI guidelines, published in 1997, all seven drug classes representing 84 drugs were recommended as potential first-line agents.
What is JNC 7?
and Margaret Roberts professor and chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. The Joint National Committee (JNC) began in 1972 under the auspices of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, and the first guidelines, ...
What was the message of JNC VI?
In my view, the overriding message of JNC VI was “go for goal and don’t settle for less.” Specifically, the goals of antihypertensive therapy were to achieve a BP of:
When was the JNC established?
The Joint National Committee (JNC) began in 1972 under the auspices of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, and the first guidelines, known as JNC I, were published in 1977. This report mentioned 28 drugs.
Is the JNC 7 goal dependent on age?
The African American Study of Kidney Disease did not confirm the benefit of the lower goal. These goals are not dependent on age, sex, or comorbidity. In summary, the key messages of the JNC 7 guidelines are as follows: SBP/DBP.
Is the Trial for Preventing Hypertension a finished study?
The Trial for Preventing Hypertension study is an interesting ongoing study in prehypertensive subjects which is now almost finished. In this study, half the participants are being given the ARB candesartan and half are given placebo for 2 years. Then the patients on the ARB will be taken off of it for the last 2 years of the study to determine if we can change the natural history of hypertension.
What is the JNC 8 guidelines?
Compared with previous hypertension treatment guidelines, the JNC 8 guidelines advise higher blood pressure goals and less use of several types of anti hypertensive medications.
How to stop hypertension in JNC 8?
As in JNC 7, the JNC 8 guidelines also recommend lifestyle changes as an important component of therapy. Lifestyle interventions include use of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, weight loss, reduction in sodium intake to less than 2.4 grams per day, and at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. In addition, to delay development of hypertension, improve the blood pressure—lowering effect of existing medication, and decrease cardiovascular risk, alcohol intake should be limited to 2 drinks daily in men and 1 drink daily in women. Note that 1 drink constitutes 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. Quitting smoking also reduces cardiovascular risk.
What is the systolic blood pressure goal for JNC 7?
The change to a more lenient systolic blood pressure goal may be confusing to many patients who are accustomed to the lower goals of JNC 7, including the <140/90 mmHg goal for most patients and <130/80 mmHg goal for patients with hypertension and major comorbidities.
When was JNC 8 published?
Patients will be asking about the new Joint National Committee (JNC 8) hypertension guidelines, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on December 18.

What Is Jnc 8?
Blood Pressure Thresholds and Targets
- Studies show that lowering blood pressure in adults with hypertension by 10 mm Hg can reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 25% to 40%.2 The evidence shows that adults who are younger than 60 years of age should begin medication when the systolic blood pressure reading (the top number) is 140 mm Hg or higher or when the diastolic blood pre…
Medication Recommendations For Initial Treatment
- JNC 8 changed the medication recommendations for initial treatment of hypertension, from 5 drug classes to 4 recommended classes. JNC 8 refined treatment recommendations to four classes of medication: 1. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) 2. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) 3. Diuretics 4. Calcium channel blockers (CCB) JNC 8 also reviewed the evidenc…
When to Increase The Dose Or Add A New Drug
- JNC 8 recommends an increase in the initial drug dose or addition of a second drug from one of the recommended drug classes for your subgroup if you are not able to reach your blood pressure target within a month. If an increase in dose or addition of a new drug does not reduce your blood pressure to your target goal, then your healthcare provider should add a third drug from one of t…
Other Classes of Antihypertension Drugs
- There are times when patients have another reason to take a drug from a class that is not specifically mentioned in the JNC 8 recommendations. For example, beta-blockers have been shown to improve survival in patients with heart failure, so they are a good choice for the reduction of blood pressure in patients with congestive heart failure. Patients with benign prosta…