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Group of people.About 1 in 3 U.S. adults—as estimated 68 million—have high blood pressure1, which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, leading causes of death in the United States.2

High blood pressure is called the "silent killer" because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people don't realize they have it. That's why it's important to get your blood pressure checked regularly.

The good news is that you can take steps to prevent high blood pressure, or to treat it if it is already high.

Featured Items


Vital SignsVital Signs: Getting Blood Pressure Under Control: High Blood Pressure is Out of Control for Too Many Americans
Almost 67 million Americans have high blood pressure, and more than half of them do not have it under control. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States. To view the video "CDC Vital Signs: Getting Blood Pressure Under Control," visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOxQyO-Sw-g.

Million Hearts™: Scaling and Spreading Innovation—Strategies to Improve Cardiovascular HealthMillion Hearts™: Scaling and Spreading Innovation—Strategies to Improve Cardiovascular Health
This event (held April 19, 2012) was a collaboration among the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the American Heart Association (AHA), designed to inspire creative thinking about developing and sustaining successful community interventions for better cardiovascular health. In particular, the event highlighted the spread of innovations aimed at reducing blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent heart disease and stroke.

Vital SignsVital Signs: High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
The CDC Vital Signs program is a call to action each month concerning a single, important public health topic. CDC Vital Signs for February focuses on cardiovascular disease, specifically control of hypertension and cholesterol.


Aeortic Aneurysm Fact SheetNew Aortic Aneurysm Fact Sheet
An aortic aneurysm (AA) is a ballooning or dilatation of the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and abdomen. AAs are classified according to their location; in the chest, it is called a thoracic AA, in the abdomen an abdominal AA (AAA), and across both areas a thoracoabdominal AA.

Hypertension IOM ReportNew Institute of Medicine Report Finds Population Based Efforts Needed for Prevention and Control of Hypertension
Hypertension (high blood pressure), the most common primary diagnosis in America, is one of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States.


Food full of sodium.Most Americans Should Consume Less Sodium
Most of the sodium we consume is in the form of salt. Too much sodium is bad for your health. It can increase your blood pressure and your risk for a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the first and third killers of men and women in the United States each year.


Reference

  1. CDC. Vital signs: prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension—United States, 1999-2002 and 2005-2008. MMWR. 2011;60(4):103-8.
  2. Miniño AM, Murphy SL, Xu J, et al. Deaths: Final data for 2008. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 59 no 10. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011.

 

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