Recent studies show a serious public health challenge: hypertension (high blood pressure) is dangerously uncontrolled and undiagnosed in a vast number of adults.
A study recently published in JAMA revealed a concerning trend:
- Nearly 80% of adults (age 20 and over) with hypertension do not have it under control.
- A majority of those with uncontrolled high blood pressure were not taking any prescription medication.
This lack of control is due to either no treatment at all or treatment that is simply not effective.
Hypertension is known as “the silent killer” because most adults experience no symptoms. Over time, however, uncontrolled high blood pressure significantly raises the risk for severe health issues:
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
- Dementia
- Kidney disease
- Vision changes
Hypertension is typically diagnosed from a pattern of consistently elevated blood pressure readings:
- Systolic (top number) of 140 mm Hg or greater
- AND/OR Diastolic (bottom number) of 90 mm Hg or greater
The Goal for Blood Pressure Control
The American Heart Association (AHA) and current medical guidelines recommend a combination of healthy lifestyle changes and medication to lower blood pressure. The goal for most people diagnosed with hypertension is a consistent blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or less, depending on individual medical history.
Note: While the 2017 blood pressure guidelines were updated, the core thresholds have largely remained consistent. The recent revisions primarily offer modifications to existing recommendations for healthcare professionals treating individuals.
At Dimensions, we are committed to employee health. Although not required by the OSHA standard for medical respirator use clearance, we proactively take blood pressures for every employee wearing a respirator.
Across all the workplaces and industries we serve, we consistently find high readings and undiagnosed high blood pressure during every single session. In fact, we are proud to share that we have several individuals contact us every year to thank us for saving their lives.
Many employees remain undiagnosed because they do not visit a healthcare provider often enough. Others go without treatment because of cost or life-changing side effects from medication.
We offer additional support beyond the screening:
- We provide a list of available free resources for healthcare and lower-cost options for prescriptions.
- We also coach on self-advocacy to try other types of pressure lowering medications with less side-effects. And we follow-up several times.
- We follow up several times to support them on their health journey.
Many employees inform us that ‘they feel fine’ or that they just saw their doctor a few months before and their blood pressure was okay. Remember though that hypertension is often called ‘the silent killer’ because most adults do not have symptoms. Although we do not usually promote biometric screenings as a wellness program, some screenings, including blood pressure screenings, can be important and life saving components of worksite wellness programs.
The 2025 Recommended Guidelines for a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle have not changed:
- Keep physically active
- Eat a healthy diet relatively low in sodium
- If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation (if at all)
- Manage your stress
- Maintain social well-being
- And we add, cultivate joy and purpose
More information: Essential 8+1; and Essential 8+2
The 2025 guidelines have been published in Hypertension and Circulation
Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash