Along with the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, nine other professional organizations have voiced support for new guidelines to lower the numbers for what is considered “high blood pressure” to 130/80 mm Hg and higher for all adults. The previous guidelines set the threshold at 140/90 mm Hg for people younger than age 65 and 150/80 mm Hg for those ages 65 and older. Using this new guideline, 70 percent of men ages 55 and older will now be classified as having hypertension, including many men whose blood pressure had formerly been considered “healthy.”