Wellness – Taking Care of Your Blood Pressure Stats and Facts

FACTS

  1. Uncontrolled Hypertension: High blood pressure often has no symptoms but can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. ​
  2. Lack of Awareness: Many individuals are unaware they have high blood pressure, delaying necessary treatment and increasing health risks. ​
  3. Poor Dietary Habits: Diets high in sodium and low in nutrients like potassium can elevate blood pressure levels. ​
  4. Physical Inactivity: A sedentary lifestyle contributes to weight gain and increased blood pressure. ​
  5. Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and reduce the effectiveness of medications. ​
  6. Smoking: Tobacco use damages blood vessels and accelerates the hardening of arteries, leading to higher blood pressure. ​
  7. Chronic Stress: Long-term stress may contribute to high blood pressure and unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating or smoking.

STATS

  • About one in three Americans has high blood pressure, and another third have prehypertension. Each year, 410,000 deaths are related to hypertension, costing the country nearly $47 billion in health care, medication, and missed work.
  • Lowering blood pressure reduces the likelihood of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and death by 30–40%. It also decreases the risk of memory loss and dementia by almost 20%.
  • A study involving nearly 34,000 adults found that intensive blood pressure management, including medication and lifestyle coaching, led to a 15% reduction in dementia risk and a 16% decrease in cognitive problems.
  • Statistics Canada’s 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey found that 17.7% of adults aged 20–79 had diagnosed high blood pressure, with higher prevalence in lower-income groups (+6.1 percentage points vs. highest income).
  • Health Canada’s 2022 report stated that 62% of Canadian adults exceeded recommended sodium intake, a key contributor to hypertension.
  • The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) reported in 2023 that workplaces offering blood pressure screenings reduced employee cardiovascular risk by up to 12%.