Other cardiovascular disease outcomes, such as kidney disease and dementia, are less known than the “tradional” outcomes, such as heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study of 4,166 adults, only 38.5% of those with self-reported hypertension were aware of the risk of kidney disease, versus 24.8% of normotensive adults. Awareness of the risk of dementia was “markedly low”: 8.7% and 7.9%, respectively.
The researchers found “notable” socioeconomic and racial/ethnic differences in awareness of risks. For example, high-income respondents had greater awareness of the association between uncontrolled hypertension and kidney disease, stroke, and dementia, when compared with low-income respondents. Non-Hispanic whites had greater awareness of risk than non-Hispanic blacks (who have a higher prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension).
Nearly 35 million people have uncontrolled hypertension, the researchers note. To educate more diverse patient populations about the risks, they recommend expanding current initiatives such as the “Mind Your Risks” program ( https://mindyourrisks.nih.gov), promoted by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; and the “Measure Up/Pressure Down ( www.measureuppressuredown.com) program, sponsored by the American Medical Group Association.