In its nearly 30 years of existence, the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) has helped to bring about significant successes in the overall picture of high blood pressure in America:

• Just about all Americans have had their BP measured.
• The mean arterial BP has declined by about 10 mmHg.
• Hypertension control rates have nearly tripled.
• Mortality rates for stroke and coronary heart disease have dropped significantly.
• Hypertension research studies have increased dramatically in number and scope.

However, there have been disappointments, too. As Claude Lenfant, MD, the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recently noted, fewer than half of those with high blood pressure have it under control. What's worse, the percentage of people who have their hypertension controlled has been shrinking in recent years.

Dr. Lenfant questions how this could be, in light of recent advances, including:

• More effective and less expensive antihypertensive medications are available.
• More proven behavior interventions are available.
• Equipment to measure BP at home and in the doctor's office is less expensive and more readily available.
• Methods to prevent hypertension altogether have been established.
• Research has shown that reducing hypertension is successful in reducing heart failure, heart attacks, and stroke.

He called on the nation's doctors to redouble their efforts to identify and successfully treat people with high blood pressure. And he also suggested that the food manufacturing industry could help by reducing the amount of salt in processed food, which accounts for 70 percent of our salt consumption.

Related information: Basic Facts | Risk factors - Controllable risks

Source:  Lenfant C. Reflections on hypertension control rates. Archives of Internal Medicine, Jan. 28, 2002;162.