University of Virginia Health System

Controlling High Blood Pressure Still a Problem for Many

Although most Americans with high blood pressure are taking steps to combat the potentially deadly condition, only 30 percent have it under control, say researchers in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

That means the 70 percent of adults with uncontrolled high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, must do more to bring those levels down, including changing their diet, exercising, and sticking to their medication regimens.

If they do not, they face an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the study authors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) writing in the MMWR.

"Most people with high blood pressure (98.1 percent) are doing something to lower it," says lead author Clark Denny, Ph.D., an epidemiologist with the CDC. "But there is still room for improvement.

"Almost everyone with high blood pressure can have it controlled through medication and lifestyle change," he adds.

Concerted Effort Required for Management

While the number of people who are doing things to control their blood pressure is increasing, so is the number of people with high blood pressure, says Dr. Denny.

"It's bad news that the number of people with high blood pressure is going up," he notes. "That may be due to changes in diet, people's weight going up, and, in part, to aging."

For the study, Dr. Denny's team collected data on 101,574 people who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The researchers found that in 2005, of the 24,447 people from 20 states who said they had high blood pressure, 98 percent were doing at least one thing to lower or control it.

For example, 70 percent said they had changed their eating habits; nearly 80 percent had reduced their use of salt or did not use salt; 79 percent had reduced the amount of alcohol they drank or did not drink; almost 69 percent exercised; and 73 percent took medication to lower their blood pressure.

"But that means that about 30 percent in each category need to do more," explains Dr. Denny.

He believes that people need to be educated about the dangers of high blood pressure and what they can do to lower it. Also, "there has to be a partnership between doctors and patients to help people control their blood pressure," he says.

Physicians Need to Continue to Educate

An editorial note in the MMWR  supports a broad-based approach to controlling blood pressure.

"A comprehensive approach to lifestyle modification that targets diet, salt intake, alcohol intake, and exercise can help to control high blood pressure," the CDC authors write.

"The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is low in saturated and total fat and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, has assisted with reducing blood pressure,” they say. “High blood pressure control requires maintaining lifestyle changes and taking prescribed medications.

"Self-management can increase overall high blood pressure control, and improvements in counseling from health-care providers, patient education, and clinician-patient partnerships could further encourage adults with high blood pressure to take action," the authors conclude.

Always consult your physician for more information.