Hypertension, also known as high blood
pressure, is a risk factor for a number of
conditions, including heart disease and stroke. It
is defined as a systolic pressure (during
heartbeats) of 140 or higher, and/or a diastolic
pressure (between heartbeats) of 90 or higher. In
2005, women had higher overall rates of
hypertension than men (265.9 versus 249.9 per
1,000 population); however, these rates varied by
race and ethnicity. For instance, non-Hispanic
Black and Hispanic women had higher rates of
hypertension than their male counterparts, while
non-Hispanic White and Asian women had rates
similar to men. Among women, non-Hispanic
Blacks had the highest rate of hypertension
(353.8 per 1,000 women), followed by non-Hispanic Whites (264.5 per 1,000); Asian
women had the lowest rate (190.4 per 1,000).
Rates of hypertension increase substantially
with age and are highest among those 75 years
and older, which demonstrates the chronic nature
of the disease. The rate among women aged
18–44 years was 90.7 per 1,000 women in 2005,
compared to a rate of 345.8 per 1,000 women
aged 45–64 years, 570.6 per 1,000 women aged
65–74 years, and 633.0 per 1,000 women aged
75 years and older. This means that almost two-thirds
of those in the oldest age group have ever
been diagnosed with hypertension.
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VERTICAL Bar CHART: Adults Aged 18 and Older with Hypertension, by Sex and Race/Ethnicity, 2005
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VERTICAL Bar CHART: Women Aged 18 and Older with Hypertension, by Age, 2005
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