Hi OSFM community - Dr. Rosica here to chat with you about blood pressure and the new guidelines that were released in 2025. One of the reasons I am thrilled with these new guidelines are they highlight the benefits and need for lifestyle interventions for everyone. Enter….naturopathic doctors! 

Before I get into some of the updates and key features of managing high blood pressure, I want to review some important background information on high blood pressure, its prevalence, and its effects. High blood pressure is when the blood in your vessels is moving at an average force that is too high. Over time, this force can lead to cardiovascular events, such as stroke. The challenging thing about high blood pressure is that it is you usually do not have symptoms until a serious cardiovascular event happens. While many might be unaware of high blood pressure, hypertension continues to be the most common modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Meaning uncontrolled blood pressure is commonly linked to heart attacks and strokes, but by controlling blood pressure, we can reduce these risks. Not only is this condition the most common risk factor, it is also the leading cause of mortality and disability in the world - think long term effects from stroke (speech impairment, vision loss, cognitive impairment, mental health decline). In terms of actual prevalence, hypertension affects 47% of Americans, including 70% of those age 60-74 and more than 50% of those aged 45 to 59. These knew guidelines also discuss that we now have high quality evidence showing that lowering blood pressure can help to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia. You can see why this is something I am passionate about preventing and treating. Managing hypertension = prevention! 

1) Providing clear, accurate guidance on key factors such as nutrient intake, sodium reduction (and practical alternatives), and ways to incorporate movement at any fitness level.

2) Explaining the why behind these recommendations, so you understand how they support blood pressure and overall health.

3) Partnering with you to create a sustainable, holistic, and individualized plan that offers practical tools for long-term, realistic change.

In addition to these previous lifestyle interventions, the guidelines also share some new and exciting information about stress management techniques and controlling your blood pressure. This might include transcendental meditation, breathing exercises, and various forms of yoga in addition to lifestyle measures. 

As I said above, these guidelines emphasize the importance of diet and lifestyle interventions, but there certainly are some groups in which medication is most likely necessary, safe, and (here’s that word again) preventive, even if it is a short term solution to lower your risk. I cannot emphasize enough that lifestyle interventions are equally as important and valuable if you are in these categories, but you may just need a little more support to truly lower risk and reduce cardiovascular events. These groups mainly include, but are not limited to: 

 • People with heart disease or high cardiovascular risk and an average blood pressure of >130/80 

 • People with an average blood pressure >140/90 with or without a history of heart disease 

If you are interested in learning more about high blood pressure, your personal cardiovascular risk, and how One Sky can support you, we would be honored to see you in the office. 

Until then, below is a link directing you to home blood pressure monitors that are the most accurate so you can reliably track your blood pressure at home. 

Validated Device Listing: 

https://www.validatebp.org/devices?f%5B0%5D=device_types_grid%3A256

https://www.heart.org/-/media/Files/Health-Topics/High-Blood-Pressure/How_to_Measure_Your_Blood_Pressure_Letter_Size.pdf

References 

1. Gulati M, Moore MM, Cibotti-Sun M. 2025 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guidelines – at a glance. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2025;XX(X):XXX-XXX. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2025.07.010

2. Jones DW, Ferdinand KC, Taler SJ, Johnson HM, Shimbo D, Abdalla M, et al; Writing Committee Members. 2025 AHA/ACC/AANP/AAPA/ABC/ACCP/ACPM/AGS/AMA/ASPC/NMA/PCNA/SGIM Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2025;152(11):e114-e218. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001356