According to the latest studies, the old standard of 130 or higher being a dangerous blood pressure reading is no longer valid. Now it’s 120 or higher. How did this happen? This is America. How do you think it happened.

The CEO of SFR Drugs was complaining at a meeting that sales of high blood pressure medication were flat. He wanted some input.

One of the eager young interns suggested finding a way to raise people’s blood pressure. More people then would need the drug. Then he smiled.

“Young man, we don’t do things like that. Does anyone have a moral way?”, the CEO responded. He made a note to have the intern’s background rechecked and have him fired.

The top drug salesman made his pitch.

“Sir, I’d suggest we change the standards.”

The CEO looked at the salesman as if he were related to the intern. “The way we do that is too say that 130 is a danger zone. We then say that 120 is, oh, say, pre-hypertension”, the ace salesman said.

“And we gain what?”, the CEO asked.

“Sir, most drugs are given to people who think they need them. It shuts them the Hell up. By scaring people shitless thinking 120 is a sign of a future problem we have them. We, of course, don’t recommend this. We tell them not to do it. We got them for sure then.”

That’s how it happened.