Hypertension Prevalence Among Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2017-2018

NCHS Data Brief. 2020 Apr:(364):1-8.

Abstract

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Lowering blood pressure has been shown to decrease the incidences of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure (1,2). This report provides 2017-2018 U.S. hypertension prevalence estimates using the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association definition of hypertension (3) and new guidelines, which redefine hypertension by lowering the previous threshold levels of 140/90 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg (4). This change categorizes a greater percentage of people as having hypertension.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blood Pressure
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Hypertension / epidemiology*
  • Hypertension / ethnology
  • Incidence
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Distribution
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents