Prevalence of Hypertension
Prevalence of Hypertension
Prevalence of Hypertension
Hypertension is the result of one’s blood pressure being too high. CDC (2021) disclosed that about half of adults (45%) with uncontrolled hypertension have a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher. This includes 37 million U.S. adults (Cameron et al., 2018). It is not news that some patients do not give themselves the appropriate health care they deserve. Some HTN patients do not know their blood pressure (BP) baseline, making it hard to detect or notice the increase or decrease in their BP readings. Kirkland et al. (2018) opined that the estimated prevalence rate of adults diagnosed with HTN would increase by approximately nine percent from 2010 to 2030; an increase in uncontrolled BP-associated complications is a significant health issue among American citizens (Cameron et al., 2018).
The World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) stated that about 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 70 years worldwide have HTN, and less than half of adults diagnosed with HTN are treated (Cameron et al., 2018). The modifiable risk factors include changing unhealthy health habits such as smoking, inactivity, alcohol /tobacco consumption, being overweight or obese, and excess salt intake; the non-modifiable are age > 65years, coexisting diseases such as diabetes and family history (CDC, 2021). Management of HTN involves decreased salt intake to less than 5 g daily, improved physical exercise, reduced alcohol, and tobacco use, weight management, and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables (CDC, 2021; Whelton et al., 2018).
The WHO estimates that more than 1.28 billion people aged 30 to 79 years worldwide suffer from hypertension. Two-thirds of these people are from low-income and middle-class households (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). Furthermore, 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware that they suffer from the condition. Therefore, less than half of adults with hypertension are diagnosed and treated (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). The number of hypertension patients with the health condition under control is also low. It is estimated that one in five adults with hypertension has the disease under control (Carey & Forsyth, 2022). Hypertension is among the leading causes of premature death in the world. As a result, it is among the non-communicable diseases with healthcare targets to reduce its prevalence. The goal is to reduce hypertension prevalence by 33% between 2010 and 2030 (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020).
In the United States (U.S.), hypertension prevalence is alarming. Hypertension puts Americans at a higher risk of heart disease and strokes. These two are the leading causes of death in the United States. In 2020 alone, more than 670,000 deaths because of diabetes were reported in America (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020). With nearly half of American adults in the United States having hypertension, only one in four patients have the condition under control (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2021). Hypertension prevalence in the United States varies with gender and race. Hypertension is commonly noted in men, with 50% of men in America having this condition, while 44% of hypertension patients in America are women (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020). Furthermore, hypertension is more prevalent among black American adults at 56%, white American adults at 48%, Asian adults at 46%, and Hispanic adults at 39% (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2021). High blood pressure is also common in some areas of the U.S. compared to other countries.
Measurement of Systolic Blood Pressure Management.
The WHO (2021) described HTN as a medical condition diagnosed when blood pressure is measured on two different days; the systolic blood pressure readings on both days are≥140 mmHg, and the diastolic blood pressure readings on both days are ≥90 mmHg (Kramer et al., 2019). The first of the two numbers used in blood pressure is the SBP, which demonstrates the arterial pressure when the heart contracts (WHO, 2021). Primary health clinics are better positioned to educate patients on issues concerning their health, treatment options, and patient-centered self-management (Yatim et al., 2019). When the systolic blood pressure measurements are above 140 while the diastolic blood pressure reading on a patient is under 90, the condition is referred to as systolic hypertension (Kramer et al., 2019). Systolic hypertension is seen more among older adults (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020).
