Current Trends in Hypertension Identification and Management: Insights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Following the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guidelines

Abstract

Background Hypertension is a global health issue associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate contemporary hypertension identification and management trends following the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Methods and Results Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed. Participants between 20 and 79 years of age were included. Participants were stratified into different treatment groups based on indication and guideline adherence. Descriptive statistics were used to compare medication use, diagnosis rates, and blood pressure control. A total of 265 402 026 people met the inclusion criteria, of which 19.0% (n=50 349 209) were undergoing guideline antihypertensive management. In the guideline antihypertensive management group, a single antihypertensive class was used to treat 45.7% of participants, and 55.2% had uncontrolled blood pressure. Participants not undergoing guideline antihypertensive management qualified for primary prevention in 11.5% (n=24 741 999) of cases and for secondary prevention in 2.4% (n=5 070 044) of cases; of these, 66.3% (n=19 774 007) did not know they may have hypertension and were not on antihypertensive medication. Conclusions Adherence to guidelines for antihypertensive management is suboptimal. Over half of patients undergoing guideline treatment had uncontrolled blood pressure. One‐third of qualifying participants may not be receiving treatment. Education and medical management were missing for 2 in 3 qualifying participants. Addressing these deficiencies is crucial for improving blood pressure control and reducing cardiovascular event outcomes.