February 03, 2026
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Access to health care is not the primary reason so many Americans have uncontrolled high blood pressure, a new study says.
An alarming number of U.S. adults with high blood pressure are not managing it, increasing their risk of serious medical complications, a new study says.
Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure. Of them, nearly 80% – or 4 out of 5 people – have not gotten it down to a healthier level. Often, that's despite having adequate health care, research published Monday shows.
High blood pressure, formally known as hypertension, can cause heart conditions including coronary artery disease, heart failure and metabolic syndrome. It also may affect brain health, leading to mild cognitive impairment, dementia and stroke – risks that make achieving healthy blood pressure critical, the Mayo Clinic says.
But the study found 61% of people with high blood pressure do not take medication that would help control it. This finding was especially concerning, because two-thirds of those people had blood pressures only 10 points over the healthy goal, meaning that medication and lifestyle modifications could be highly effective, the researchers said.
Additionally, more than 80% of people with uncontrolled blood pressure reported that they had health insurance and a routine health care provider, indicating that access to medical care was not the primary issue in uncontrolled high blood pressure, the researchers said.
The study was based on data from 3,200 people who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an ongoing federal survey that includes information about diet, lab tests and health exams. The study defined high blood pressure as a systolic measurement over 130 and a diastolic over 80.
Hypertension is known as the "silent killer," because it's often asymptomatic, although signs may include headaches, shortness of breath and nosebleeds. The only way to diagnose it is to have a health care provider check your blood pressure, the Mayo Clinic says.
Tobacco use, obesity and high salt intake are the primary risk factors for high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension is caused by an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid problems, kidney disease or obstructive sleep apnea.
Having a healthy diet, being physically active and not smoking can help prevent and manage high blood pressure.
