prehypertension—28% of American adults have prehypertension (Internal analysis from NHANES 2005–2008). People with prehypertension are more likely to develop high blood pressure than are people with normal blood pressure levels.

Blood pressure is written as two numbers. The first (systolic) number represents the pressure when the heart beats. The second (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart rests between beats. The following is a classification system for blood pressure—

By the Numbers: 1 of 3

Quick Facts

Who Has High Blood Pressure

• Women are about as likely as men to develop high blood pressure during their lifetimes. However, for people younger than 45 years, the condition affects more men than women. For people aged 65 years and older, it affects more women than men.
• About 28% of American adults aged 18 years or older have prehypertension.
• In the United States, high blood pressure is more common among blacks than whites. About 44% of black women have high blood pressure.
• Mexican-Americans have the lowest level of hypertension compared to non-Hispanic whites and blacks.

Health Impact of High Blood Pressure

• High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.
• High blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of death for 336,353 Americans in 2007.
• There were more than 46 million visits to doctor's offices for hypertension in 2007.

High Blood Pressure and Salt

• A diet high in sodium (salt) increases the risk for higher blood pressure.
• Most people eat more than double the amount of salt than they should.
• Current dietary guidelines for Americans recommend that adults in general should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables. However, if you are in the following population groups, you should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day, and meet the potassium recommendation (4,700 mg/day) with food.
  http://www.cdc.gov/CDCTV/Salt_Matters to learn more about how salt affects your health

  Preventing and Controlling High Blood Pressure

  You can maintain healthy blood pressure by changing your lifestyle or combining lifestyle changes with prescribed medications.

  Key lifestyle changes include the following—

  • Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
  • Maintain a normal body weight (body mass index (BMI) of 18.5–24.9; BMI is  kilograms divided by height in meters squared). Click here to calculate your BMI.
  • Take at least 1 brisk 10-minute walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week. Follow a healthy eating plan of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low in sodium.
  • Quit smoking.
  • If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation (no more than 2 drinks per day for men and no more than 1 drink per day for women).
  • If you have high blood pressure and are prescribed medication(s), take as directed.

  The most recent recommendations for detecting and treating high blood pressure are available from the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure of the National Heart and Lung Institutes, National Institutes of Health, available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/.

  Send an electronic Health-e-Card to someone to remind them to stay healthy.