High Blood Pressure Becoming More Pervasive

You hear a lot about America's “obesity epidemic,” but less about the large number of people who have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Like those who are obese, their numbers are growing.

One in four American adults -- 55.1 million -- was treated in 2008 for hypertension, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Obesity and high blood pressure could be related. Being overweight or obese is one of the risk factors. However, doctors aren't quite sure why people suffer from hypertension. High blood pressure has been linked to:

• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Lack of physical activity
• Too much salt in the diet
• Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
• Stress
• Older age
• Genetics
• Family history of high blood pressure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Adrenal and thyroid disorders

Heart muscle strain

As the name implies, high blood pressure is a condition when the heart must work harder – using more pressure – to pump blood through the circulatory system. Eventually, it creates strain on the heart muscle and can create weakness in blood vessel walls. Over time, someone with high blood pressure is at a high risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Men tend to suffer from hypertension more than women and blacks more than whites.

The AHRQ report found that for hypertension treatment in 2008:

• About 29 percent of blacks were treated for hypertension in contrast to 25 percent of whites, 15 percent of Hispanics, and 20 percent of individuals of other races.
• Total expenses were $47.3 billion, with $21.3 billion spent on prescription medicines; $13 billion spent on doctors’ office and outpatient visits; and another $13 billion spent for hospitalizations, emergency department visits and home health care. 
• Average treatment costs were higher for Hispanic patients ($1,272) and for black patients ($1,037) and patients of other races ($1,211) in contrast to the average treatment costs for whites ($748).
• The percentage with reported treatment for hypertension was higher for adults age 65 years and older (60 percent) than those in the younger age groups, 45–64 years (32 percent) and 18–44 years (5 percent).
• Slightly more women received treatment for hypertension than men, 25 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

High blood pressure is measured with two numbers. A reading of 120/80 or lower is considered normal. 120-39/80-89 is considered prehypertension. 140-49/90-99 is considered stage one hypertension. You should consult a doctor about any reading above 120/80.