How well is hypertension controlled among those with a diagnosis of hypertension?
The prevalence of hypertension rises with age so those at age 80 have a 90% chance of being hypertensive.
According to the most recent (2014) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, nearly one-third of Americans over the age of 18 suffer from hypertension, with the disease affecting two-thirds of those above age 60. The rates among men and women are similar. Hypertension is more common among African Americans (42%) than among Caucasians, Hispanics, and those of Asian ancestry (25% to 28%).
Awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension continue to rise but remain suboptimal. As at 2012, awareness rates were at 80%, treatment at 75%, and control rates at 53%.
