Surgeon General Releases Call to Action on Hypertension Control
High Blood Pressure Control IS Possible
Today, Surgeon General VADM Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H., issued a Call to Action urging Americans to recognize and address hypertension control as a national, public health priority. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension provides strategies for those on the frontlines of health care and public health to address this costly, dangerous and far too common chronic health condition.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often known as a “silent killer,” as it frequently has no signs or symptoms. If left uncontrolled, hypertension can increase a person’s risk for heart disease, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, pregnancy complications, and cognitive decline or dementia later in life. However, hypertension is a preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Hypertension is all too common, as nearly 1 in 2 adults have hypertension, yet only about 1 in 4 have it under control. Hypertension care and treatment are also costly, resulting in an estimated $131 billion to $198 billion in medical costs each year.