Table 5 Recommended thresholds for drug treatment and initial drug therapy in recent major guidelines for hypertension
|  | Thresholds for initiating drug treatment* | Initial drug therapy in uncomplicated patient (non-black patient aged over 55–60 years)†| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guideline | No target organ damage or risk factors | With risk factors (other than diabetes mellitus) | With target organ damage | With diabetes mellitus or renal disease | Recommendation | Grade of recommendation |
CMA | ≥160/90 | ≥160/90 | ≥160/90 | ≥140/90 | Thiazides | A |
WHO | ≥150/95 | ≥140/90 | ≥140/90 | ≥130/85 | Low dose monotherapy |  |
VHA | >160 and/or>100 | >160 and/or >100 | ≥130/85 | ≥130/85 | Thiazides or β-blockers |  |
SIGN | ≥160/100 | ≥160/100 | ≥140/90 | ≥140/90 | Thiazides | A |
ESH | ≥150/95 | ≥140/90 | ≥130/85 | ≥130/85 | Low dose monotherapy or a combination |  |
ICSI | ≥160/100 | ≥140/90 | ≥130/85 | ≥130/85 | Thiazides |  |
JNC | ≥140/90 | ≥140/90 | ≥130/80 | ≥130/80 | Thiazides alone and/or combination ACE, ARB, β-blockers, CCB |  |
SA | ≥140/90 | ≥140/90 | ≥130/85 | ≥130/85 | Thiazides |  |
BHS | ≥160/100 | ≥140/90 | ≥140/90 | ≥140/90 | Thiazides or calcium channel blockers | C |
NICE | ≥160/100 | ≥160/100 or ≥ 140/90 if CHD§ risk ≥ 15% or CVD¶risk ≥ 20% | ≥140/90 | Outside scope of guideline | Thiazides | A[34] |