The U.S. Institute of Medicine (also known as the IOM) has issued a new report that says high blood pressure, which affects one American in three, is the most neglected disease in the United States.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, may be a factor in one death in every six annually in the U.S., according to the report.

Part of the problem is that high blood pressure has few symptoms and many people don’t even realize they have it. This has been known for some time. High blood pressure has become known as a “silent killer” for that reason.

But this new report also says hypertension has become a “no man’s land in the medical community.” In other words, says Dr. David Fleming, head of the IOM committee behind report, high blood pressure falls between the cracks because it’s both a public health issue and a medical issue. Neither community, according to the report, is doing enough to combat it.

High blood pressure is easy to diagnose and cheap to treat. For many individuals, it’s also simple to prevent.

Since 1995, the number of deaths related to high blood pressure causes has jumped 25 percent.

Part of the problem is that many Americans don’t take the dangers of high blood pressure seriously.

The report also faulted doctors for not treating patients with high blood pressure aggressively enough,
especially in older people and those with high systolic pressure.

The report recommended several courses of action.

One approach included an appeal to health insurers to drop copayments and deductibles for high blood pressure medications.

The committee also urged Americans to educate themselves better about the importance of keeping their blood pressure in a normal range, and to have regular blood pressure readings taken. Lifestyle changes that include a healthy blood pressure diet and regular exercise would also help.

Dr. Fleming also urged physicians to do a better job of helping patients lower high blood pressure.

“Undiagnosed and uncontrolled cases are occurring at alarming rates,” Dr. Fleming states. “Even though many people with hypertension see their doctors regularly.

The report was sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.

See our related blog posting on how home blood pressure monitors help keep hypertension in check.

Reducing the amount of carbs in your diet can not only help you lose weight, it can also lower your blood pressure, according to a recent study.

The research team led by William S. Yancy Jr. of the VA Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina concluded that eating fewere carbs was an effective as eating less fat, but participants in the study who ate fewer carbs saw their blood pressure go down.

Researchers followed almost 150 patients during the study. Some focused on eating fewer carbs, others on eating less fat while taking a weight reduction medication called orlistat.

There was little difference in weight loss, Yancy said. But the low carb diet group saw a significant drop in blood pressure that the other group didn’t.

To read more about the study, click on low carbs and high blood pressure. Also see blood pressure foods and ways to lower high blood pressure.

Part of the problem is that high blood pressure has few symptoms and many people don’t even realize they have it. This has been known for some time. High blood pressure has become known as a “silent killer” for that reason.

But this new report also says hypertension has become a “no man’s land in the medical community.” In other words, says Dr. David Fleming, head of the IOM committee behind report, high blood pressure falls between the cracks because it’s both a public health issue and a medical issue. Neither community, according to the report, is doing enough to combat it.

High blood pressure is easy to diagnose and cheap to treat. For many individuals, it’s also simple to prevent.

Since 1995, the number of deaths related to high blood pressure causes has jumped 25 percent.

Part of the problem is that many Americans don’t take the dangers of high blood pressure seriously.

The report also faulted doctors for not treating patients with high blood pressure aggressively enough,
especially in older people and those with high systolic pressure.

The report recommended several courses of action.

One approach included an appeal to health insurers to drop copayments and deductibles for high blood pressure medications.

The committee also urged Americans to educate themselves better about the importance of keeping their blood pressure in a normal range, and to have regular blood pressure readings taken. Lifestyle changes that include a healthy blood pressure diet and regular exercise would also help.

Dr. Fleming also urged physicians to do a better job of helping patients [url=http://bloodpressuresite.com/how-to-lower-high-blood-pressure.html]lower high blood pressure.

“Undiagnosed and uncontrolled cases are occurring at alarming rates,” Dr. Fleming states. “Even though many people with hypertension see their doctors regularly.

The report was sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.