Cost-Effectiveness of Hypertension Therapy According to 2014 Guidelines

The authors estimate that implementation of the 2014 treatment guidelines for all U.S. patients with untreated hypertension would save lives and money. The value of treatment would be greatest in patients with severe hypertension and in those with cardiovascular disease. In the United States, more deaths from cardiovascular causes are attributed to elevated blood pressure than to any other risk factor. 1 , 2 Since 1960, there has been a decline of approximately 10% in the mean systolic blood pressure and a decline of approximately 13% in the mean diastolic blood pressure among adults over the age of 40 years, in part because of greater awareness of the risk and more widespread treatment of hypertension. 3 Nonetheless, the number of persons with hypertension is increasing, and an estimated 44% of the 64 million U.S. adults with hypertension did not have this condition controlled . . .