The contribution of the systolic and diastolic components for the diagnosis of arterial hypertension under the 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline and metabolic heterogeneity among individuals with Stage 1 hypertension

Little is known about the impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline on the distribution pattern of hypertension modalities (isolated systolic hypertension [ISH], isolated diastolic hypertension [IDH], and systolic‐diastolic hypertension [SDH]). This cross‐sectional study had the following objectives: to compare the prevalence of hypertension, ISH, IDH, and SDH, according to the definitions of the JNC 7 or the 2017 guideline; to determine the relative contribution of the systolic and the diastolic components for the diagnosis of hypertension; and to compare the metabolic profile of ISH, IDH, or SDH among new hypertensive individuals by the 2017 guideline. The authors retrospectively evaluated 33 594 patients (42 ± 10 years, 67% male) who underwent a routine health evaluation. Hypertensive patients not using antihypertensive medication were classified into ISH, IDH, or SDH using guideline‐defined thresholds. The prevalence of hypertension increased from 21.1% by the JNC 7 definition to 54.7% using the 2017 criteria (2.6‐fold increase). More profound increases were seen in the prevalence of IDH (8.7‐fold) and SDH (3.3‐fold), whereas the prevalence of ISH reduced from 1.1% (JNC 7) to 0.5% (2017 definition). Among patients with Stage 1 hypertension by the 2017 document, 85% had IDH and fewer metabolic abnormalities compared to those with SDH or ISH. The authors concluded that the 2017 guideline inflates the role of the diastolic component and diminishes the contribution of the systolic component for the diagnosis of hypertension. Individuals with Stage 1 hypertension by the 2017 guideline are metabolically heterogeneous and may have different long‐term prognoses.