Ideal blood pressure targets for both systolic and diastolic pressure may depend on the cardiovascular event for which an individual patient is most at risk, according to a post-hoc analysis of trial data.

“Our results highlight that while guidelines are important, it is also important to individualise the blood pressure target for the person sitting across from you in the clinic — something doctors and other providers do every day,” says lead author Dr Tara Chang of Stanford University School of Medicine, California, US.