High Blood Pressure is Number One Reason Older Women
Seek Medical Help
Hypertension number one treatment for women from
age 45 up; Hyperlipidemia a distant second
May 7, 2009 - The most common medical treatment for
women especially senior citizens is for hypertension (high blood
pressure). There were approximately 25 million women treated in the U.S.
for this condition in 2006, with almost 12 million about half - of
these being age 65 or older.
Most of the rest of those treated, 10.7 million
were between the ages 45 through 64.
There were just two million women treated for high
blood pressure that were between the ages of 30 and 44, but hypertension
is almost unknown below age 30 just 335,000 females were treated in
2006.
In the United States, about 72 million people have
high blood pressure (HBP). This is about 1 in 3 adults, according to the
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Blood pressure tends to rise with age and, if
you're a male older than 45 or a female older than 55, your risk for HBP
is higher. Over half of all Americans aged 60 and older have HBP.
For older women those age 45 and older there is
not even a close second in the race for medical treatment.
Hyperlipidemia, fat build up in the blood, is the number two condition
for which older women seek medical treatment but there were only 13.6 million
treatments in 2006, compared to the 22.7 million who sought treatment
for hypertension.
The good news is that these latest statistics from
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicate the U.S. is
making progress in the battle against high blood pressure. AHRQ's
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey shows the people treated in 2006
for the condition increased only slightly over 2005, despite booming
population growth among older Americans.
The statistical analysis released by News and
Numbers from AHRQ found that the most common diseases for which women
sought treatment in 2006 by age group, included:
● Women age 65 and older:
1. hypertension, high blood pressure (11.8
million);
2. hyperlipidemia, fat build up in the blood (7.1 million);
3. osteoarthritis (5.9 million);
4. heart disease (5.7 million); and
5. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma (5.5 million)
● Women aged 45 to 64:
1. hypertension, high blood pressure (10.7
million);
2. depression and other mental disorders (8.3 million);
3. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma (8.2 million);
4. hyperlipidemia (6.5 million); and
5. osteoarthritis (5.8 million)
● Women 30 to 44:
1. depression and
other mental disorders (5 million);
2. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma (4.8 million);
3. female genital disorders (4.2 million); and
4. acute bronchitis (4 million)
5. hypertension, high blood pressure (2.1 million)
|
Hypertension Treatment of Women by Age 2006 (thousands) |
|
Age |
Distribution by Type of Service |
Total Persons |
|
|
Outpatient
Hospital/Office |
Inpatient
Hospital |
Emergency
Room |
Prescribed
Medicines |
Home
Health |
|
|
65 plus |
7,111 |
96* |
246 |
11,604 |
484 |
11,844 |
|
45 - 64 |
5,769 |
127* |
180 |
10,539 |
84* |
10,736 |
|
30-44 |
1,197 |
79* |
77* |
2,027 |
40* |
2,084 |
|
30 plus |
14,078 |
303 |
504 |
24,169 |
608 |
24,663 |
|
Under 30 |
163* |
|
19* |
271 |
|
335 |
|
All Ages 2006 |
14,241 |
303 |
522 |
24,440 |
608 |
24,998 |
|
Hypertension Treatment of Women by Age - 2005 |
|
All ages 2005 |
14,448 |
332 |
397 |
23,940 |
522 |
24,841 |
|
30 plus 2005 |
14,225 |
325 |
385 |
23,679 |
522 |
24,491 |
AHRQs data includes
treatment in doctors offices and hospital outpatient clinics, emergency
rooms, hospitals, and by home health care providers. This analysis was
based on data from AHRQ's
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. MEPS collects information each
year from a nationally representative sample of the U.S. civilian
noninstitutionalized population about their health care use, expenses,
access to services, health status, and the quality of the health care
they obtained.
|
About High Blood Pressure
Also called: HBP, HTN, Hypertension
Blood pressure is the force of your blood
pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart
beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure
is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is
called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between
beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic
pressure.
Your blood pressure reading uses these two
numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. Usually they are
written one above or before the other. A reading of
>> 120/80 or lower is normal
blood pressure
>> 140/90 or higher is high
blood pressure
>> 120 and 139 for the top
number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number is
prehypertension
High blood pressure usually has no
symptoms, but it can cause serious problems such as
stroke,
heart failure,
heart attack and
kidney failure. You can control high blood pressure through
healthy lifestyle habits and taking
medicines, if needed.
 Older Age
Blood pressure tends to rise with age. If
you're a male older than 45 or a female older than 55, your risk
for HBP is higher. Over half of all Americans aged 60 and older
have HBP.
Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is the
most common form of HBP in older adults. ISH occurs when only
systolic blood pressure (the top number) is high. About 2 out of
3 people over age 60 who have HBP have ISH.
HBP doesn't have to be a routine part of
aging. You can take steps to keep your blood pressure at a
normal level. (For more information, see
"How Is High Blood Pressure Treated?")
>> More at
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
>>
More Links at MedlinePlus |
