High blood pressure on the rise

Analysis of data from two national health studies has revealed that more Americans than ever before have high blood pressure.

Researchers compared data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), which took place between 1988 and 1994, with that obtained from the first six years (1999–2004) of the current NHANES. Results showed that the prevalence of high blood pressure, or hypertension, rose from 24.4% in 1988-1994 to 28.9% in 1999-2004. The researchers add that, depending on race and gender, between one and four fifths of the increase is attributable to increasing body mass index.

In an editorial that accompanies the research, Theodore A Kotchen, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, writes: “From both population and patient care perspectives, the analysis of Cutler et al provides added impetus for preventing obesity and encouraging weight loss for the overweight as strategies for hypertension prevention. This is particularly relevant because the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased several-fold in the past decade.”

Cutler JA, Sorlie PD, Wolz M, Thom T, Fields LE, Roccella EJ. Trends in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates in united states adults between 1988–1994 and 1999–2004. Hypertension 2008; doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.108.113357

Kotchen TA. Obesity-related hypertension? weighing the evidence (editorial). Hypertension 2008;doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.108.120915