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What Is Hypertension, and Why Should We Care?
The definition of ideal or “normal” blood pressure, which is presently based on population-level data, is a blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg or lower in adults.3,4 Hypertension is defined as blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or higher; this definition is based on evidence from epidemiologic studies and clinical trials that examined the relationship between higher blood pressures and major adverse cardiovascular events.3,4 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 116 million adults in the United States, or 47% of adults in the population, have hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension is higher among men than among women, among non-Hispanic Black adults than among non-Hispanic White or Asian adults, and among persons in the southeastern United States than among those in the rest of the country.3,4
We should care about hypertension because it contributes to disparities in health care, and disparities in economic resources, environmental conditions, and access to health care surely contribute to the prevalence of hypertension. Hypertension is associated with increased risks of stroke, coronary artery disease, and other cardiovascular diseases; heart failure; atrial fibrillation; chronic kidney disease; and death.3,4 The death rate attributable to hypertension has increased by 34.2% over the past decade; in 2020, hypertension was a primary or contributing cause of more than 670,000 deaths, or 20% of all deaths in the United States.3,4 Furthermore, although hypertension is a modifiable risk factor, only 24% of adults with hypertension have adequately controlled blood pressure, which is defined as a blood pressure of less than 130/80 mm Hg in persons who have received lifestyle interventions and medications. These numbers point to a substantial unmet need — the effective management of hypertension.