Hypertension Control in the U.S.

Despite national campaigns to heighten awareness and control of hypertension, data continue to emerge showing that many people with this condition are not doing enough to control it. A CDC analysis of figures from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2005 reaffirms such findings.

In this study of 101,574 survey respondents, 24,447 people reported that they had hypertension. Among them, 98% were taking at least one action to lower or control their blood pressure — 71% had altered their eating habits, 80% had reduced salt intake, 80% had reduced alcohol consumption, 69% exercised, and 73% took antihypertensive medication. The majority reported taking all five actions.