Experts Concerned about Rise in Hypertension Cases

By Jane Farrell

Although access to medicine for controlling blood pressure has broadened, the number of Americans with uncontrolled hypertension is alarming, especially in communities of color, health officials said.

“The latest research published in JAMA [the Journal of the American Medical Association] showing that a greater proportion of Americans, particularly communities of color, were living with uncontrolled high blood pressure in 2017-2018 than previously is extremely troublesome,” Susan R. Bailey, M.D., President, American Medical Association (AMA), and Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D., President, American Heart Association (AHA), said in a joint statement.

The physicians said that blood pressure control has worsened “despite the fact that we have more scientific evidence than ever before pointing to the devastating effects of uncontrolled high blood pressure, as well as broader access to low-cost generic medications to treat the condition, blood pressure control has worsened. Without intervention, more people will be at high-risk of heart attack, stroke, disability and death.”

In their statement, Bailey and Elkind said the issue has a particular urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This research reinforces the need for all health care providers and their patients to prioritize blood pressure control, especially now as cardiovascular disease places people at greater risk for adverse outcomes associated with COVID-19. The data also highlight the need for us to address upstream factors, including structural racism, that continue to contribute to the greater prevalence of hypertension and lower rates of blood pressure control among Black, Latino, Asian and Indigenous populations compared to White adults.

“The AMA and AHA will continue to build on their collective work to ensure physicians and all Americans, especially those within underrepresented and under-resourced communities, have the health care access and support they need to control high blood pressure and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in the United States.”

Recognizing that high blood pressure is a major health threat to patients, the AMA developed a framework for improving blood pressure control, with online resources to make it easier for physicians and care teams to access the latest evidence-based information and they need to help manage their patients’ high blood pressure. These resources are available to all physicians and health systems as part of the AMA and AHA’s joint Target: BP™ initiative—a national program launched in 2016 aimed at reducing the number of Americans who die from heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize blood pressure control.

Additionally, earlier this year, the AMA and AHA teamed up with a group of national health care organizations and ESSENCE on the Release the Pressure campaign to advocate for improved heart health with Black women.

For more information on heart health, click here to visit the AHA’s website.