US sees sharp increase in hypertension-related deaths

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/acoc-uss031720.php

News Release 19-Mar-2020
American College of Cardiology

While it typically has no symptoms, high blood pressure--or hypertension--has serious health consequences. Rates of deaths related to hypertension have risen by 72% and 20% in rural and urban areas of the U.S., respectively, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.20/WCC).

Hypertension is defined by the ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure in Adults guideline as blood pressure consistently above 130 mm Hg systolic pressure or 80 mm Hg diastolic pressure and is a leading risk factor for heart disease. Over time, high blood pressure causes damage to arteries and restricts blood flow, which can weaken the heart muscle or lead to events such as a heart attack or stroke. The study reveals a dramatic uptick in hypertension-related deaths nationwide between 2007 and 2017.

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Nambiar said that a combination of poor diet, a high prevalence of obesity and diabetes and a lack of access to health care could contribute to the regional differences. She added that targeted public health measures could help close the gap by addressing some of those factors.

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Since the increase in hypertension-related deaths does not align with trends in coronary heart disease deaths, Nambiar said the data could suggest an increased prevalence of heart failure, a form of heart disease in which the heart becomes too weak to adequately pump blood through the body.

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