Hypertension Control

Abstract

Hypertension is a major contributor to the global disease burden.1 Overall, according to recent estimates, the worldwide prevalence of hypertension in 2000 was ≈26%, totaling ≈1 billion people.2 Because a larger proportion of the world’s population is expected to be older in 2025, hypertension prevalence has been projected to increase to ≥29% by that time. However, there is considerable variation among countries and geographic regions for the reported prevalence of hypertension (≈5% to 70%) and hypertension control rates (≈5% to 58%).2,3 Although hypertension is more prevalent in economically developed countries, the larger population of developing countries results in a considerably larger absolute number of individuals affected. Based on an analysis of cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) between 1960 and 1991, age adjusted hypertension prevalence (blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg) in US adults reportedly decreased from 29.7% to 20.4%; hypertension awareness rates increased from 51% to 73%, and hypertension control rates increased from 10% to 29%.4 In a more recent analysis of NHANES data, it was estimated that between 1988–1991 and 1999–2000 hypertension prevalence in the adult US population actually increased from 25.0% to 28.7%, an estimated 58.4 million individuals.5 Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg, a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or taking antihypertensive medications. Increasing age, increasing body mass index, and non-Hispanic black race …