(HealthDay News) – Of U.S. adults with hypertension, more than half have uncontrolled hypertension, yet the majority report having a usual source of care and health insurance, according to a study published in the Sept 4 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
Amy L Valderrama, PhD, from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues estimated the prevalence of hypertension awareness and treatment among adults with uncontrolled hypertension using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2010.
The researchers found that, among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years, the overall prevalence of hypertension was 30.4%, which corresponded to approximately 66.9 million individuals. Of these, an estimated 53.5% (35.8 million) had uncontrolled hypertension, including 39.4% who were unaware of their hypertension; 15.8% who were aware of their hypertension, but were untreated; and 44.8% who were aware of their hypertension and had uncontrolled hypertension despite receiving treatment. The majority of individuals with uncontrolled hypertension reported having a usual source of care (89.4%) and having health insurance (85.2%).
“Uncontrolled hypertension affects nearly 36 million adults in the United States, yet 32 million of these adults have a usual source of health care, and 30 million have health insurance, representing a missed opportunity for hypertension control,” the authors write. “The findings in this report can be used to target populations and refine interventions to improve hypertension control.”