High Blood Pressure in U.S. Raises a Red Flag

Almost one in three U.S. adults had high blood pressure at the end of the last decade, reversing a downward trend and raising another warning flag about the health of Americans, researchers said Tuesday.

The prevalence of high blood pressure, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, rose to 29% among adults, up 4% since the last survey in 1988 through 1991. That halts a decline since 1960 in hypertension rates.

Although the researchers did not examine why high blood pressure was increasing, the jump coincides with a sharp increase in the number of Americans who are overweight or obese, a major cause of hypertension.

“We think that’s probably playing a role in this increase,” said Ihab Hajjar of the University of South Carolina, one of the authors of the study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.

“This should be a wake-up call to the American public,” said Daniel Jones, dean of the University of Mississippi Medical School and a spokesman for the American Heart Assn. “Unless something is done about this, this is going to lead to an increase in heart attack and stroke in the future. This will translate in later years to more heart disease and heart disease deaths.”

Heart attacks and strokes remain the nation’s No. 1 killer.

“This important paper is another reminder we need to get on the ball about blood pressure,” said Edward Roccella, coordinator of the National Health, Lung and Blood Institute’s National Blood Pressure Education Program.

Roccella said blood pressure can be lowered by losing weight, eating a more healthful diet and exercising -- and, if those don’t work, with drugs.

“If you don’t find time for exercise, you will find time for illness,” Roccella said.