Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects nearly one in two U.S. adults and is a major preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke.1 Despite the common nature of this condition and a large amount of national attention, only about 24% (26 million) have their blood pressure controlled to ≤130/80 mmHg.1 Regardless of the threshold used to measure control, national rates have stagnated and disparities persist. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension seeks to avert the negative health effects of hypertension across the U.S. by identifying interventions that can be implemented, adapted, and expanded across diverse settings.

Contents

• Message from the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Foreword from the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Introduction
• Section 1. Evidence and the Need for Action
  • Hypertension in the United States
  • Control Is Possible
  • Barriers to Control
  • Promoting Health Equity
  • Why Now?
• Section 2. Goals and Strategies: The Call to Action
  • Goal 1. Make Hypertension Control a National Priority
  • Goal 2. Ensure That the Places Where People Live, Learn, Work, and Play Support Hypertension Control
  • Goal 3. Optimize Patient Care for Hypertension Control
• Section 3. Sector-Specific Actions
• A Vision for the Future
• References
• Acknowledgement

Suggested citation:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2020.