Sixty-seven million people are estimated to have high blood pressure in the U.S., but only 47 percent of them have it under control with medication, according to the LA Times. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is now recommending all Americans be screened for high blood pressure.
One-time annual screenings are recommended for individuals who are 40 years or older, overweight or obese, African American or if their blood pressure is in the "high normal" range, the article says. Individuals between 18 and 39 who don't have any risk factors for high blood pressure should be screened once every three to five years.
According to the article, high blood pressure is prevalent in African Americans (42.1 percent), while 28 percent of whites, 26 percent of Latinos and 24.7 percent of Asian Americans have the condition. People with high blood pressure are more prone to heart attack and stroke as well as kidney and heart failure. Unfortunately, many people aren't aware they have the condition.
The Task Force has encouraged blood pressure screenings since 2003, but is now suggesting out-of-office monitoring. According to LA Times, studies have found that 5 percent to 65 percent of high blood pressure readings are due to "white coat syndrome," in which just being inside the physician's office causes a rise in blood pressure.
The Task Force recommends wearing an ambulatory blood pressure monitor that takes measurements every 20 or 30 minutes for 24 to 48 hours outside of the physician's office. While these monitors can cause some disturbance or discomfort, patients who don't confirm in-office measurements can potentially suffer significant harm from unnecessary drug treatment, according to the article.