The Japanese Society of Hypertension on Wednesday released stricter guidelines for the treatment of high blood pressure in people aged 65 or over, warning them to watch their consumption of salt.

The revision-the first in four years-comes after research both in this country and abroad placed greater emphasis on the link between hypertension and the risk of strokes and other diseases.

Previous guidelines set the highest tolerable blood pressure at ``less than 140 millimeters of mercury (Hg)'' for those aged 60 to 69, ``less than 150 mm Hg'' for those aged 70 to 79, and ``less than 160 mm Hg'' for those aged 80 to 89.

The new guidelines, however, set that benchmark at ``less than 140 mm Hg'' for all seniors aged 65 or over.

Doctors are now being asked to observe patients with blood pressure readings of between 140 and 159 mm Hg for three months before introducing medication, rather than the previous six.

The society is also advising seniors to limit their salt intake to just 6 grams a day-down from the 7 grams recommended in the old guidelines.

There is also a Body Mass Index (BMI), which measures obesity. The measure, a key yardstick to prevent high blood pressure, is obtained by twice dividing a patient's weight in kilograms by his or her height in meters. The society is now recommending a BMI of under 25.(IHT/Asahi: October 15,2004) (10/15)