Table 2.
Characteristics of US adults by blood pressure levels and antihypertensive medication use based on the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
| SBP/DBP categories in mm Hg among US adults not taking antihypertensive medication | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <120/80 (n=3,827) |
120–129/<80 (n=1,114) |
130–139/80–89 (n=1,276) |
≥140/90 (n=819) |
Taking antihypertensive medication (n=2,587) |
|
| Percentage (95% CI) of US population | 42.3 (40.3, 44.3) |
12.1 (11.0, 13.3) |
13.7 (12.7, 14.9) |
7.7 (6.8, 8.7) |
24.1 (22.4, 26.0) |
| Population characteristics† | |||||
| Age, years | 38.8 (0.4) | 45.0 (0.7) | 47.1 (0.7) | 54.6 (0.6) | 61.6 (0.3) |
| Male gender, % | 41.1 | 60.4 | 58.0 | 58.1 | 45.0 |
| Race/ethnicity, % | |||||
| Non-Hispanic white | 63.5 | 66.2 | 66.7 | 63.7 | 71.2 |
| Non-Hispanic black | 9.1 | 10.8 | 11.6 | 14.5 | 14.8 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 6.5 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 3.4 |
| Hispanic | 18.2 | 14.9 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 8.7 |
| Cigarette smoking, % | 19.8 | 23.8 | 20.6 | 21.0 | 15.5 |
| Total cholesterol, mg/dL | 187.6 (1.0) | 195.3 (1.1) | 201.0 (1.8) | 206.3 (2.1) | 190.2 (1.3) |
| HDL cholesterol, mg/dL | 54.2 (0.4) | 51.9 (0.6) | 52.8 (0.7) | 54.0 (0.9) | 51.6 (0.5) |
| Statin use, % | 6.7 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 13.5 | 47.8 |
| Diabetes, % | 3.7 | 7.6 | 9.1 | 14.1 | 26.7 |
| Reduced eGFR, % | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 8.7 | 20.8 |
| Albuminuria, % | 4.7 | 6.1 | 9.4 | 15.6 | 17.6 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 108.9 (0.2) | 124.2 (0.1) | 128.0 (0.3) | 148.3 (0.9) | 130.7 (0.6) |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 66.5 (0.3) | 70.4 (0.4) | 78.6 (0.3) | 82.5 (0.7) | 71.1 (0.4) |
| Mean 10-year predicted CVD risk†† | 2.4 (0.1) | 5.0 (0.2) | 5.9 (0.3) | 13.1 (0.6) | 17.8 (0.4) |
| High risk†††, % | 7.5 | 15.1 | 19.8 | 46.1 | 61.8 |
| 10-year risk categories, % | |||||
| <5% | 85.6 | 69.7 | 63.5 | 37.4 | 21.7 |
| 5% to <10% | 6.9 | 15.2 | 16.7 | 16.4 | 16.6 |
| 10% to <20% | 3.2 | 6.8 | 10.5 | 19.8 | 19.7 |
| ≥20% | 1.5 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 20.4 | 20.1 |
| History of CVD | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.0 | 21.9 |
Population characteristics in the table are percentage or mean (standard error).
US adults were grouped into the higher category of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. For example, if a person had systolic blood pressure of 146 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of 82 mm Hg, they were grouped into the ≥140/90 mm Hg category.
Reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate was defined by levels < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2.
Albuminuria was defined by an albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g.
10-year predicted risk was calculated using the Pooled Cohort risk equations. Mean risk was calculated among adults without a history of cardiovascular disease.
High risk defined as a 10-year predicted cardiovascular disease risk ≥ 10% or history of cardiovascular disease.
SBP – systolic blood pressure; DBP – diastolic blood pressure; eGFR - estimated glomerular filtration rate; CVD – cardiovascular disease.