Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure, which refers to an elevated pressure of the blood in the arteries. There are two major factors that cause hypertension and they can be present independently or together. These factors are the heart pumps blood with excessive force or the body's smaller blood vessels narrow, forcing the flow of blood to cause more pressure against the vessels' walls. The body is able to tolerate increased blood pressure for years, but eventually, the heart might enlarge and this might result in heart failure. The high blood pressure might also injure the blood vessels in the kidneys, heart, the eyes, and the brain (van der Giet & Tölle, 2015). Systolic and diastolic pressure are the numbers used to describe blood pressure. Systolic pressure is the first and higher number and indicates the force that blood exerts on the artery walls when the heart contracts to pump out blood. It has been established that a high systolic pressure is a great risk factor than diastolic pressure for kidney, brain, heart, and circulatory complications. It can also result in death especially for middle-aged and elderly adults. A wider spread between the systolic and diastolic pressure measurements, the greater the risk. Current Data and Statistics Related to Hypertension

It is estimated that about 75 million American adults accounting for 32 percent of the population have high blood pressure, which equates to 1 in every 3 adults. The prehypertension stage is the stage where an individual has higher than normal blood pressure, but they are not...

Research shows that about 54 percent of people who have high blood pressure have their condition under control. High blood pressure was the primary cause or contributing cause of death for more than 410,000 American in 2016. That is more than 1,100 deaths a day. The costs associated with treatment of high blood pressure, health care services, and missed days of work to the nation is $48.6 billion each year. It is estimated that the number of adults who have high blood pressure could be higher considering that most people remain undiagnosed. However, a majority of these cases could be treated with low-cost medications and this would reduce their risk of death significantly.
Health Disparities Related to Hypertension

Several studies have shown that African American adults are more likely to suffer from hypertension than White and Mexican American adults. The studies have also indicated the African Americans are more likely to be aware of their hypertension status, more likely to be undergoing treatment, but they are less likely to have the condition under control as compared to whites (Campbell & Niebylski, 2014). However, the reasons for these findings are unclear. It is assumed that genetics plays a key role in the development of hypertension especially in African Americans. This could explain the high number of adults who have the condition or are at risk of developing the condition. Amongst the Hispanic American adults, hypertension risks vary by group. Puerto Rican American adults have higher rates of hypertension…