Blood Pressure on the Rise in America

HealthDay, October, 2008 by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter

More Americans than ever are being treated for high blood pressure, say researchers from the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The major factor in the dramatic increase in the number of Americans with high blood pressure appears to be the obesity epidemic rife in the United States, they noted.

"Additional efforts are needed to prevent hypertension from developing in the first place, with primary emphasis on prevention of obesity," said lead researcher Paul Sorlie, chief of the Epidemiology Branch in the institute's Division of Prevention and Population Sciences. "For those who have hypertension, additional efforts are needed to diagnose, treat and effectively control hypertension to reduce the adverse outcomes associated with hypertension."

The report...