Nearly half of 67 million Americans with high blood pressure are not effectively treating it and face a high risk of a heart attack or stroke.
About 36 million people have uncontrolled high blood pressure, a condition caused when too much force is exerted by blood as it is pumped through the body and moves against vessel walls, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The bottom line is ... most of those in this country who have (high blood pressure) don't have their numbers under control, and because of that we have a very high burden of disease," said Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC.
High blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths a day and $131 billion in annual direct healthcare costs, Frieden said.
The condition is the second most serious public health issue. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the country, according to the CDC.
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