How Common Is High Blood Pressure and What Are the Risk Factors?
Unfortunately, high blood pressure is becoming increasingly common in the United States. High blood pressure normally develops over years, and affects almost everybody eventually. While now about one third of adults over age 20 have high blood pressure, this number is expected to rise up to 41 percent by 2030. Furthermore, only one fifth of people with high blood pressure are actually aware of their condition. Only about half of people with high blood pressure have their condition under control, even if three quarters are on hypertensive treatments. To put this widespread problem into perspective, an average of 1,000 people died every day in 2010 due to high blood pressure related complications. Moreover, high blood pressure costs the country $47.5 billion each year, covering health care services, medications, and missed days of work.