Quality standard

Quality statement 4: Blood pressure targets

Quality statement

People with treated hypertension have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 140/90 mmHg if aged under 80 years, or below 150/90 mmHg if aged 80 years and over.

Rationale

Hypertension is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events. Setting blood pressure to recommended levels aims to promote primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, and to lower the risk of cardiovascular events.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

a) Evidence of local arrangements to ensure people aged under 80 years with treated hypertension have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 140/90 mmHg.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.

b) Evidence of local arrangements to ensure people aged 80 years and over with treated hypertension have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 150/90 mmHg.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.

Outcome

People with treated hypertension whose target blood pressure is achieved.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure that systems are in place for people aged under 80 years with treated hypertension to have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 140/90 mmHg, and for people aged 80 years and over with treated hypertension to have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 150/90 mmHg.

Healthcare professionals ensure that people aged under 80 years with treated hypertension have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 140/90 mmHg, and people aged 80 years and over with treated hypertension have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 150/90 mmHg. They should use clinical judgement when agreeing blood pressure targets with people with frailty or multimorbidity.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services that have arrangements for people aged under 80 years with treated hypertension to have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 140/90 mmHg, and for people aged 80 years and over with treated hypertension to have a clinic blood pressure target set to below 150/90 mmHg.

People who are receiving treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure) have a target clinic blood pressure (blood pressure measured in their GP practice or clinic) below 140/90 mmHg if they are aged under 80 years, or a clinic blood pressure below 150/90 mmHg if they are aged 80 years or over.

Source guidance

Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG136 (2019, updated 2023), recommendations 1.4.20 and 1.4.21

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Clinic blood pressure

Blood pressure measured in the clinic.

For a clinic blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg, the corresponding ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) daytime average or home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) average blood pressure is 135/85 mmHg.

For a clinic blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg or higher, the corresponding ABPM daytime average or HBPM average blood pressure is 150/95 mmHg or higher. [NICE's guideline on hypertension in adults, terms used in this guideline]

Treated hypertension

Treated hypertension includes treatment with antihypertensive drugs. [NICE's guideline on hypertension in adults]

Equality and diversity considerations

Targets are based on evidence of safe practice. A person aged 80 years or over with treated hypertension would not have a target clinic blood pressure of 150/90 mmHg if their blood pressure was already treated to below this threshold. Healthcare professionals should use clinical judgement when agreeing blood pressure targets with people with frailty or multimorbidity.