Statistical Fact Sheet — Disease/Risk Factors
Prevalence of High Blood Pressure in Adults Age 20 and Older by Age and Sex
NHANES: 1999–2004 11.237.455.473.923.237.549.163.669.56.483.818.3010203040506070809020-3435-4445-5455-6465-7475+Percent of PopulationMenWomen
Source: NCHS and NHLBI.
Note: Death rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 population, based on the 2000 U.S. standard. Some data are reported according to ICD/9 codes and some use ICD/10 codes.
High blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) is defined as systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher, or taking antihypertensive medicine or being told twice by a physician or other professional that you have hypertension.
• In the United States, about 73 million age 20 and older have HBP. (NHANES 1999-2004. NCHS and NHLBI)
• One in three adults in the United States has HBP. (NHANES [1999-2004], NCHS and NHLBI)
• Data from NHANES 1999–2004 showed that of those with HBP,
? 71.8 percent are aware they have it.
? 35.1 percent have it controlled.
? 61.4 percent are under current treatment
? 64.9 percent do not have it controlled.
(NHANES 1999-2004. NCHS and NHLBI)
• Among adults age 20 and older in the United States, the following have HBP:
? For non-Hispanic whites, 32.5 percent of men and 31.9 percent of women.
? For non-Hispanic blacks 42.6 percent of men and 46.6 percent of women.
? For Mexican Americans, 28.7 percent of men and 31.4 percent of women.
(NHANES [1999-2004, NCHS and NHLBI)
High Blood Pressure — Statistics 2
• Among people age 18 and older in the United States, the following are the median percentages who’ve been told by a health professional that they have HBP:
? For Hispanics or Latinos, 20.3 percent.
? For Asians, 19.4 percent.
? For American Indians/Alaska Natives, 25.5 percent.
(NHIS [2005], NCHS)
Age-Adjusted Prevalence Trends for High Blood Pressure, Age 20 and Over by Race/Ethnicity, Sex and Survey
NHANES: 1988–94 and 1999–2004 25.628.039.026.227.025.026.938.237.522.941.428.501020304050NH White-Only MenNH White-OnlyWomenNH Blackor AA MenNH Blackor AAWomenMexicanAmericanMenMexicanAmericanWomenPercent of Population1988-941999-04
Source: NCHS and NHLBI. NH – non-Hispanic. AA – African American.
• A higher percentage of men than women have HBP until age 45. From ages 45–54 the percentage of men and women is similar; after that a much higher percentage of women than men have HBP. (NCHS and NHLBI)
• About 69 percent of people who have a first heart attack, 77 percent who have a first stroke, and 74 percent who have CHF have blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg. (NHLBI unpublished estimates from ARIC, CHS and FHS Cohort and Offspring Studies)
• The prevalence of HBP among blacks and whites in the southeastern United States is greater and death rates from stroke are higher than among those in other regions.
• Within the African-American community, rates of hypertension vary substantially.
? Those with the highest rates are more likely to be middle aged or older, less educated, overweight or obese, physically inactive, and to have diabetes.
? Those with the lowest rates are more likely to be younger, but also overweight or obese.
? Those with uncontrolled HBP who are not on antihypertensive medication tend to be male, younger and have infrequent contact with a physician.
(Collins R, et al. African-American women and Men At High and Low Risk for Hypertension: A signal Detection Analysis of NHANES III, 1988-1994. Prev Med 2002;35:303–12)
High Blood Pressure — Statistics 3
Extent of Awareness, Treatment and Control of High Blood Pressure by Race/Ethnicity
NHANES: 1999–2004 63.437.266.933.649.125.172.976.962.40102030405060708090AwarenessTreatmentControlledPercent of PopulationNH WhitesNH BlacksMexican Americans Source: NCHS and NHLBI.
• The awareness, treatment and control of HBP among those in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) age 65 and older improved during the 1990s. The percentages who were aware of and treated for HBP were higher among blacks than among whites. Prevalences with HBP under control were similar. For both groups combined, the control of BP to lower than 140/90 mm Hg increased from 37 percent in 1990 to 49 percent in 1999. Improved control was achieved by an increase in antihypertensive medications per person and by increasing the proportion of the CHS population treated for hypertension from 34.5 percent to 51.1 percent. (Psaty BM, et al. Time Trends in High Blood Pressure Control and the Use of Antihypertensive Medications in Older Adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:2325–32)
• HBP was listed on death certificates as the primary cause of death of 54,707 Americans in 2004. HBP was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death in about 300,000 of the more than 2.4 million U.S. deaths in 2004
• 2004 HBP mortality:
? 23,099 male deaths (42.1 percent of deaths from HBP).
? 31,608 female deaths (57.9 percent of deaths from HBP).
? 16,704 white males.
? 24,216 white females.
? 5,762 black males.
? 6,664 black females.
• From 1994 to 2004 the death rate from HBP increased 26.6 percent, and the actual number of deaths rose 56.1 percent.
• The 2004 overall death rate from HBP was 18.1. Death rates were
? 15.7 for white males.
? 14.5 for white females.
? 51.0 for black males.
? 40.9 for black females.
High Blood Pressure — Statistics 4
• 499,000 people diagnosed with HBP were discharged from short-stay hospitals in 2005. Discharges include people both living and dead:
? 215,000 males.
? 284,000 females.
• In 2008 the direct and indirect costs due to HBP were $69.4 billion.
Note: U.S. government agencies and population surveys use the terms “blacks” and “non-Hispanic blacks.” In U.S. government statistics, “Hispanic” includes persons who trace their ancestry to Spanish-speaking countries or other Spanish cultures, regardless of race. It doesn’t include people from countries where Spanish is not the first language.
Abbreviations Used:
AA – African American.
ARIC – Atherosclerotic Risk in Communities
CHS – Cardiovascular Health Study, NHLBI
FHS – Framingham Heart Study, NHLBI
JNC VII – Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
NH – non-Hispanic
NCHS – National Center for Health Statistics
NHIS – National Health Interview Survey.
NHANES – National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NCHS
NHLBI – National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
For additional information see the Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2008 Update, published in Circulation, available on our Web site.