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Reducing
Hypertension in the
United States of
America
WHEREAS,
more than 70 million
Americans suffer
from hypertension;
and
WHEREAS,
the American Heart
Association
estimates that
hypertension will
cost the US economy
$66.4 billion in
2007; and
WHEREAS,
high blood pressure
is the most common
diagnosis in the US
and affects nearly
one in three adults;
and
WHEREAS,
high blood pressure
is the most
consistent and
powerful predictor
of stroke and is
causally involved in
nearly 70% of all
strokes; and
WHEREAS,
according to the
American Heart
Association the
overall estimated
prevalence of high
blood pressure was
72 million with
women having higher
rates of prevalence
than men; and
WHEREAS,
it is estimated that
hypertension will
cost the US economy
$66.4 billion in
2007, and
WHEREAS,
the prevalence of
high blood pressure
is increasing in
children; and
WHEREAS,
the leading causes
of death for
Hispanic males and
females are diseases
of heart and stroke.
For Hispanic men,
27.9% of the deaths
are attributed to
diseases of heart
and stroke, while
34.9% of female
deaths are caused by
diseases of heart
and stroke, and
WHEREAS,
among Hispanics aged
20-74, the
prevalence of high
blood pressure is
24.2% for men and
22.4% for women, and
WHEREAS,
the prevalence of
hypertension in
African Americans is
over 41%, is among
the highest in the
world and is
increasing, and
WHEREAS,
compared to whites,
African Americans
develop high blood
pressure earlier in
life and their
average blood
pressure levels are
much higher, and
WHEREAS,
as a result of the
increased prevalence
of high blood
pressure in African
Americans, compared
to whites, they have
a 1.3 greater rate
of nonfatal stroke,
a 1.8 times greater
rate of fatal stroke,
a 1.5 times greater
rate of heart
disease death, and a
4.2 times greater
rater of end stage
kidney disease, and
WHEREAS,
significant barriers
to accessing quality
hypertension care
exist in America
that adversely
affect the health of
patients, limit
their ability to
effectively control
their high blood
pressure, and
adversely affect
their quality of
life; and
WHEREAS,
people with
hypertension can
significantly lower
their risk for
complications if
they are educated
about hypertension,
receive the medical
care and treatment
needed to control
their blood pressure,
learn and practice
the skills needed to
control blood
pressure levels, and
receive regular
checkups from a
healthcare
professional;
THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, by the
NHCSL Executive
Committee assembled
on August 5, 2007,
in Boston,
Massachusetts, whose
legislators are
interested in
improving the state
of hypertension for
Americans, will
organize a
Legislative
Hypertension Caucus
to set a legislative
agenda for each
legislative session
that is designed to
reduce the burden of
hypertension on
Americans by working
together to improve
clinical outcomes of
hypertension care,
increase access to
quality hypertension
care, and enhance
the health of
Americans who have
hypertension or are
at risk of
developing
hypertension; and
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, that a
National
Hypertension
Advisory Council be
formed, which will
include
representatives of
the patient
populations
affected, the
National Medical
Association and the
National Pharmacists
Association, as well
as other healthcare
providers and
interested
stakeholders; and
BE IT FINALLY
RESOLVED, that the
National
Hypertension
Advisory Council
will utilize the
approved medical
community guidelines
to improve the
quality of
hypertension care,
and the health
status of those with
high blood pressure
in America by:
(a) Identifying and
evaluating current
funding sources for
hypertension care
and quality
improvement in
America; and
(b) Identifying and
making
recommendations
regarding funding
levels needed and
potential sources to
improve hypertension
care in America; and
(c) Evaluating the
state of
hypertension care in
America, including
but not limited to
identifying
treatment barriers
that prevent those
with high blood
pressure from
achieving better
blood pressure
control and avoiding
costly complications
from hypertension;
and
(d) Making
recommendations to
the NBCSL and NHCSL
Legislative
Hypertension Caucus
about ways to reduce
the burden of
hypertension on
Americans, including
the burden on
populations
disproportionately
affected by high
blood pressure; and
(e) Publishing an
annual report that
includes
recommendations on
ways to improve
hypertension care
and the health of
those with
hypertension
throughout America.
This
resolution was
adopted August 5,
2007, at the NHCSL
Executive Committee
Meeting held in
Boston,
Massachusetts.
Assemblyman
Felix W. Ortiz (NY),
NHCSL President |
