Health Diseases And Medications

High blood pressure is an extremely serious and growing problem that now affects more than 72 million adult Americans. It almost seems unbelievable but that means that 1 out of 3 adults in the USA are suffering from high blood pressure. With nearly 60 million Americans over 55 years of age this also means that there is a 9 in 10 chance of developing hypertension at some time in life. Also, if you happen to be an African American then you are far more likely to develop hypertension than any other ethnic group and are also likely to experience hypertension at an earlier age and more severely.

However that is not the end of the story as there are now approximately 20 million Americans suffering from diabetes and an almost unbelievable 142 million Americans who are either overweight or obese and both of these groups are at an increased risk of developing hypertension.

But why should we be so concerned about hypertension?

Hypertension is a very serious condition that can easily lead to other life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, which is the chief cause of death in the USA today, and stroke, which is currently the number three cause of death. Indeed hypertension is a factor in 2 out of 3 heart attacks in the US and in 3 out of 4 strokes.

Hypertension is also the chief reason for visits to the doctor and even a modest fall in the number of sufferers of say ten percent would save something like $450 million dollars a year. Altogether it is estimated that the cost of treating hypertension and its associated complications costs the American economy around $100 billion a year.

So what is the solution to this problem?

First and foremost, the solution lies in educating individuals about the problem of hypertension and how to avoid developing it in the first place. The majority of of those affected nowadays effectively cause the problem themselves as a result of their lifestyle. Poor eating habits, insufficient exercise, too much drinking and tobacco are all causes of high blood pressure and are all entirely within our own control.

The second thing we must do is to get people used to checking their blood pressure regularly as it is unfortunately a condition with few if any symptoms to warn us of its presence. Nowadays there are many excellent and relatively inexpensive blood pressure monitors (including a number of Omron blood pressure monitors with a world-wide reputation for excellence) that are quick and simple to use and could literally save your life.