Volume 90, Number 7 www.aafp.org/afp American Family Physician 503 Coverage of guidelines from other organizations does not imply endorsement by AFP or the AAFP. A collection of Practice Guidelines published in AFP is available at http://www.aafp.org/afp/practguide. See related editorial on page 449. Hypertension is one of the most important preventable contributors to disease and death in the United States, leading to myocardial infarction, stroke, and renal failure when it is not detected early and treated appropri- ately. The Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) recently released evidence-based recommendations on treatment thresholds, goals, and medications in the management of hypertension in adults. In the general population of adults 60 years and older, pharmacologic treatment should be initiated when the systolic pressure is 150 mm Hg or higher, or when the diastolic pressure is 90 mm Hg or higher. Patients should be treated to a target systolic pressure of less than 150 mm Hg and a target diastolic pressure of less than 90 mm Hg. Treatment does not need to be adjusted if it results in a systolic pressure lower than 140 mm Hg, as long as it is not associated with adverse effects on health or quality of life. In the general population younger than 60 years, pharmacologic treatment should be initiated when the systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg or higher, or when the diastolic pressure is 90 mm Hg or higher. The target systolic pressure in this population is less than 140 mm Hg, and the target diastolic pressure is less than 90 mm Hg. Hypertension in Patients with CKD or Diabetes For persons 18 years or older with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or diabetes melli- tus, the treatment threshold and tar- get blood pressures are the same as those for the general population younger than 60 years (i.e.