Abstract 18388: Hypertension Identification and Management in the USA: Adherence of the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guidelines

Background: The 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults changed the criteria for a diagnosis of hypertension and provided new recommendations goals and management. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of hypertension identification, treatment, and adherence in the US population. Methods: We analyzed the 2017-2020 pre-pandemic National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for participants between 18 and 79 years of age. Participant data was used to assess for a hypertension diagnosis and eligibility for AHA/ACC’s primary or secondary prevention hypertension strategies. Current hypertension medication usage was stratified if prescribed for hypertension management or a non-hypertension indication. Participants with a current hypertension-indicated medication were identified as “Undergoing Treatment”; all other participants were stratified into “No Indication”, “Primary Prevention”, or “Secondary Prevention”, based on the AHA/ACC guideline. Complex survey methodology with weighting was utilized for national estimates. Results: Our study included 236,621,712 participants, of which 22.4% (n=53,064,773) were undergoing treatment for hypertension, 67.0% (n=158,613,605) had no indication for management, 8.9% (n=21,158,544) qualified for primary prevention, and 1.6% (n=3,784,790) qualified for secondary prevention. A known hypertension diagnosis was reported in 26.0% of the primary prevention group, 45.0% of secondary prevention, and 94.8% of those undergoing treatment. In patients undergoing treatment, 57.9% of participants had mean blood pressure readings above goal. Conclusion: One in ten adults under 80 qualify for hypertension management but may not be undergoing treatment. Of patients qualifying without current treatment, most did not know they would qualify for a hypertension diagnosis. More than half of treated patients did not meet blood pressure goals.