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High Blood Pressure Awareness Month—May 2008
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month. Approximately 73 million persons in the United States
have high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk for diseases of the heart and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States, respectively. High blood pressure is estimated to cost more than
69 billion dollars in direct and indirect costs in 2008.High blood pressure or hypertension is defined as having a systolic blood
pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or
higher measured on two or more occasions, or taking anti-hypertensive
medication. Normal blood pressure levels are considered to be a systolic blood
pressure less than 120 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure less than 80 mm Hg.
Persons with above normal levels (systolic blood pressure of 120–139 mm Hg
or diastolic blood pressure of 80–89 mm Hg) but are not hypertensive are
considered to have "prehypertension." These people are at a greater risk of
developing hypertension than are persons with normal blood pressure levels.
People should have their blood pressure checked regularly. Lowering high blood pressure can reduce new events and deaths from heart diseases and stroke and can be achieved through lifestyle modifications alone or in combination with
prescribed medications. Key lifestyle changes include weight reduction and control, adequate physical activity, moderation in alcohol intake, reduced dietary sodium, and increased dietary potassium. Additional lifestyle changes to improve overall cardiovascular health include smoking cessation and reduced intake of saturated fats. The most recent recommendations for the detecting and treating high blood pressure are available from the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure.
CDC's Efforts Regarding High Blood Pressure
CDC’s State Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program: CDC currently funds health departments in 33 states and the District of Columbia to develop effective strategies to reduce the burden of heart disease,
stroke, and related risk factors. This program emphasizes the need for policy,
environmental, and systems changes that promote heart-healthy and stroke-free living and working conditions. For more information, visit
www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/state_program/index.htm.
For More Information
Please see the following additional resources:
-
Prevalence of
Actions to Control High Blood Pressure—20 States, 2005
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review, May 4, 2007
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Hypertension–Related Mortality Among Hispanic Subpopulations—United States,
1995–2002 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review, February
24, 2006
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Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Prevalence, Treatment, and Control of
Hypertension—United States, 1999–2002 Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Review, January 14, 2005.
- High Blood Pressure Fact Sheet
- Pulmonary Hypertension Fact Sheet
- State Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program Addresses High Blood Pressure
Visit the Web Sites of CDC's Partners for More Information
Regarding High Blood Pressure
*Links to non–Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
Page last reviewed:
May 7, 2008
Page last modified: May 7, 2008
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion
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