Dealing With The Problem Of Hypertension In The Usa Today

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious and increasing problem that now affects over 72 million adult Americans. It almost seems fantastic but that means that 1 out of 3 adults in the USA are suffering from high blood pressure. With approximately 60 million Americans over the age of 55 this also means that Americans have a 90 percent chance of developing hypertension at some time in life. Also, if you happen to be an African American then you have a greater chance of developing hypertension than any other ethnic group and are also likely to suffer from hypertension at an earlier age and to a greater degree.

However that is not the end of the story as there are now about 20 million Americans suffering from diabetes and an incredible 142 million Americans who are either overweight or obese and individuals in both of these categories are at an increased risk of developing hypertension.

So just why should we worry about developing hypertension?

High blood pressure 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 at present the third highest cause of death. Indeed hypertension is a contributory factor in two thirds of all heart attacks in the United States and in over three quarters of all strokes.

High blood pressure is also the chief reason for visits to the doctor and even a slight drop in the number of visits of around 10 percent could save something like $450 million dollars every year. In total it is estimated that the cost of treating hypertension and its associated complications costs the US economy around $100 billion every year.

Okay, so what is the solution to this problem?

First and foremost, the solution lies in educating people about the problem of hypertension and how to avoid developing it. The vast majority of of people suffering nowadays effectively cause the condition themselves because of their lifestyle. Poor eating habits, a lack of exercise, excessive drinking and smoking are all causes of high blood pressure and are all entirely within our own control.

Second, we must get people into the habit of checking their own blood pressure on a regular basis as unfortunately it is a condition with few if any symptoms to warn us of its presence. Today there are several excellent and quite inexpensive blood pressure monitors (including a number of Omron blood pressure monitors which have a world-wide reputation for excellence) that are fast and simple to use and can literally save your life.