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JAMA Finds Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Have Hypertension, Most Uncontrolled

A new JAMA analysis highlights many untreated adults close to targets, suggesting achievable gains through starting medication with lifestyle changes.

Overview

  • Nationally representative NHANES data from 2021–2023 estimate that 47% of U.S. adults have hypertension.
  • Among those with hypertension, 79% did not have blood pressure under control during the study period.
  • Of people with uncontrolled readings, 61% reported not taking any antihypertensive medication.
  • Roughly two-thirds of untreated adults with uncontrolled blood pressure were within 10 mm Hg of AHA/ACCBP goals, indicating many could reach control with therapy plus lifestyle modification.
  • Hypertension contributed to 664,470 U.S. deaths in 2023, underscoring the scale of the problem and the potential benefits of expanding treatment and awareness.