Description: December 12, 2007 - Results of a new study find that 75% of Americans who have medical conditions that increase their risk of heart disease are also dealing with high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is diagnosed in a person whose BP is equal to 140 over 90 or above. A normal blood pressure is equal to 120 over 80.

The study, performed by researchers at the University of California, Irvine featured data from 4,646 adults who took part in a national health survey.

31% of the study participants were found to be suffering from high blood pressure, with older, or black adults at an increased risk.

Out of the study participants, up to 75% of the participants with one of the following medical conditions also had high blood pressure: diabetes, chronic kidney disease, one previous stroke, congestive heart failure, peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease.

The study forecasts that overall, about 1 third of the US population are living with high blood pressure.

"You get high blood pressure by leading an unhealthy lifestyle, so it often goes hand in hand with chronic conditions," said Norm Campbell, president of Blood Pressure Canada.

“Recent estimates indicate little change in the prevalence of hypertension, and, although there seem to be some recent improvements in treatment and control rates, hypertension in many persons remains inadequately controlled,” the authors write.

“Moreover, given recently released recommendations to reduce the blood pressure goal to less than 130/80 milligrams of mercury for persons with coronary artery disease and other high-risk conditions, our hypertension control rates would be even lower and a greater distance from the goal for these persons if the new criteria are applied,” the authors conclude.