Nearly half of about 67 million Americans with high blood
pressure are not effectively treating their condition and face a
high risk of a heart attack or stroke, a U.S. health official
said on Tuesday. About 36 million people have uncontrolled high
blood pressure, a condition caused when too much force is
exerted by blood as it is pumped through the body and moves
against vessel walls, according to a report from the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Tuesday.
"The bottom line is ... most of those in this country who have
(high blood pressure) don't have their numbers under control,
and because of that we have a very high burden of disease," said
Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. High blood pressure, a risk
factor for heart disease and stroke, contributes to nearly 1,000
deaths a day and $131 billion in annual direct healthcare costs,
Frieden said. The condition is the second most serious public
health issue. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of
preventable death in the country, a