2017 ACC/AHA and JNC-8 hypertension guidelines

September 2018 - The American College of Cardiology (ACC) / American Heart Association (AHA) hypertension guideline published in November 2017 introduced new blood-pressure categories lowering the threshold for the diagnosis of hypertension. Items on each of the AANPCB certification examinations are reviewed each year by clinical experts for relevancy to current and best practice. The 2019 certification examinations use the 2017 ACC/AHA and JNC-8 guidelines to reference test items. While treatment targets may differ among various guidelines, it is important to keep evaluation of the individual's health as the central concern.