Hypertension Treatment ACCORDing to SPRINT

Hypertension (HTN) is recognized worldwide as the leading risk factor for death and disability in adults. It kills more people globally than does tobacco use (9 vs 6 million).1 Approximately 1 billion adults worldwide have high blood pressure (BP), and this number is expected to increase to 1.56 billion by 2025.2 The World Health Organization has reported a global HTN prevalence of 40%, which is compounded by genetic factors, lifestyle choices, salt-rich diets, and physical inactivity.3 According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, one third of adults >20 years old in the United States have HTN.4 Self-reported rates of HTN are similar (Fig. 1). In the U.S. population, 64.9% of adults older than age 60 years develop HTN, and only half have well-controlled BP.5 By age 50 years, isolated systolic HTN is the prevalent form of HTN,6 and systolic BP (SBP) is the main risk predictor for stroke, adverse coronary events, heart failure, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).7 The control and treatment of HTN is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease, including stroke (by 35%–40%), myocardial infarction (MI) (by 15%–25%), and heart failure (by up to 50%).8,9