Media Relations

Nearly one in three American adults (67 million) has high blood pressure, and more than half of them (36 million) don’t have it under control.  High blood pressure contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths per day and accounts for nearly $131 billion in direct healthcare costs a year. There are many opportunities to gain control of this serious public health problem and using a team based approach can help.

• Patients can take their prescribed medications, work with their doctors and lead a healthy lifestyle. 
• Healthcare providers can track their patients’ blood pressure, prescribe once a day medications and give clear instructions. 
• And, health systems can use electronic health records, encourage the use of 90-day refills and consider having low, or no, co-pays.

We have to roll up our sleeves and make blood pressure control a priority every day, with every patient, at every doctor’s visit.

“We have to roll up our sleeves and make blood pressure control a priority every day, with every patient, at every doctor’s visit. With increased focus and collaboration among patients, health care providers and health care systems, we can help 10 million Americans’ blood pressure come into control in the next five years.”
-CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.

“Too many Americans have uncontrolled high blood pressure which is a serious health risk. There are many opportunities for people with high blood pressure to gain control. Doctors, nurses, other health care providers and their patients must pay regular and frequent attention to controlling high blood pressure.”
-Amy Valderrama, PhD, RN

CDC works 24/7 saving lives and protecting people from health threats to have a more secure nation. Whether these threats are chronic or acute, manmade or natural, human error or deliberate attack, global or domestic, CDC is the U.S. health protection agency.