According to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, In 2008, one in four adults in the U.S. (55.1 million) received treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure).
The federal agency also revealed that for treatment of hypertension in 2008:
- Approximately 29% of individuals treated for hypertension were black, compared to 25% of whites, 15% of Hispanics, and 20% of individuals of other races.
- Total costs were $47.3 billion, $21.3 billion was spent on prescription drugs, $13 billion on doctors’ office and outpatient visits, and a further $13 billion for hospitalizations, emergency room visits and home health care.
- On average costs of treatments were higher for Hispanic individuals ($1,272), black individuals ($1,037), and those of other races ($1,211), compared to white individuals ($748)
- Reported treatment was higher for those aged 65+ (60%) in comparison to those aged between 45-64 years (40%), and individuals aged 18-44 years (5%).
- 25% of women received treatment for hypertension and 23% of men.
The data in this AHRQ News and Numbers summary are taken from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a detailed source of information on the health services used by Americans, the frequency with which they are used, the cost of those services, and how they are paid. For more information, go to Statistical Brief #337: Expenditures for Treatment of Hypertension among Adults Age 18 and Older, 2008: Estimates for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population.
For information on preventing heart attacks and strokes, read about the Million Hearts initiative.
Written by Grace Rattue