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Nearly three-quarters of adults in the United States with
conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes also have high
blood pressure, according to researchers.
The study was based on analyzing data from 4.646 adults who
took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a
massive ongoing research project. Researchers at the University
of California, Irvine, led by Nathan D. Wong, Ph.D. draw
attention to how commonplace high blood pressure has become.
About 1.671 (31.4 percent) of the participants had high
blood pressure, the researchers found. Older or black adults seem to be the
most exposed to hypertension. About 68.5 percent of people with high blood
pressure were receiving medication for the condition and 52.9 percent had their
hypertension under control.
"You get high blood pressure by leading an unhealthy lifestyle, so it
often goes hand in hand with chronic conditions," said Norm Campbell,
president of Blood Pressure Canada.
Healthy adults should have a blood pressure of 120/80 millimetres
of mercury (mmHg) or better, according to specialists. A person suffers from
hypertension when its blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
The
study found that most people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and related
problems had high blood pressure, including: 76.8 percent of those with
diabetes; 81.8 percent of those with chronic kidney disease; 69.5 percent of
those with stroke; 71.4 percent of those with congestive heart failure; 73.7
percents of those with peripheral artery disease or narrowed veins or arteries;
73 percent of those with coronary artery disease and 76.9 percent of those with
two or more of these diseases.
According to Dr. Campbell, “most countries are struggling
with these same problems.” Moreover, worldwide, high blood pressure is one of
the leading causes of death.
“These high-risk persons with low rates of hypertension
control represent an urgent need for intensified efforts to achieve blood
pressure control,” was the conclusion of the study.
The findings were published in the December 10’s issue of
the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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