HHS HealthBeat (February 12, 2008)

The states of blood pressure

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Majid Ezzati’s findings on high blood pressure could raise a health expert’s blood pressure.

The Harvard School of Public Health researcher says men’s high blood pressure rates nationally slowed down their decline in the 1990s. Things are even worse for women:

``Blood pressure among women in the U.S. is getting worse. Things are actually going up, and this is after a couple of decades of decline.’’ (6 seconds)

Ezzati’s examination of data includes a thorough look at high blood pressure in states using multiple data sources. Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina, plus the District of Columbia, had the worst.

Besides seeing a doctor, Ezzati recommends lifestyle changes such as cutting salt in food.

Ezzati’s study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: February, 11 2008