Big news for anyone concerned about heart health: In August 2025, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) published fresh guidelines on preventing and managing hypertension. And here’s the headline grabber—nearly half of all Americans now fall under the diagnosis of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
The new hypertension guidelines are based on a sweeping review of research from the past decade. They lower the bar for what counts as high blood pressure and offer a more personalized approach to treatment than we’ve seen before. Systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) targets are now stricter, meaning more Americans qualify for intervention. This is more than just a numbers game: hypertension remains the No. 1 risk factor for heart disease and stroke—the leading and fourth-leading causes of death in the U.S.—and also increases risk for dementia and cognitive decline.
Diet, Exercise, and New Tools for Prevention
So what should people do? The AHA and ACC strongly recommend adopting the DASH diet—short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, low-fat or non-fat dairy, and whole grains. It’s not just about what you eat, though. According to the new guidelines, every additional 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per week can lower systolic blood pressure by about 2 mmHg and diastolic by 1 mmHg. Given that only one in four people with a history of high blood pressure actually have it under control, these small changes could make a big difference.
Eight essential health behaviors are highlighted for keeping blood pressure—and by extension, heart disease risk—in check. These cover not only diet and exercise but also habits like getting enough sleep. There’s even a new risk calculator called PREVENT that helps both patients and doctors determine overall cardiovascular risk.
More Resources, Earlier Action
The focus isn’t just on older adults anymore. Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha from Emory University points out that teaching young people healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent problems like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity before they even start. The AHA is working with local clinics nationwide to improve early diagnosis and streamline care—so patients don’t have to bounce between specialists.
While there’s plenty still to tackle—like obesity (affecting two in five adults), diabetes (one in three), and rising rates of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)—these updated guidelines offer practical steps anyone can start today. If you’re unsure where your blood pressure stands under these new definitions, experts urge you to ask your doctor at your next visit.
