Gender Differences in Office and Ambulatory Control of Hypertension

Background

Gender differences in hypertension control have not been explored fully.

Methods

We studied 15,212 white men and 13,936 white women with treated hypertension who were drawn from the Spanish Ambulatory Blood Pressure Registry. For each participant, we obtained office blood pressure (BP) (average of 2 readings) and 24-hour ambulatory BP (average of measurements performed every 20 minutes during day and night).

Results

Only 16.4% of women and 14.7% of men had both office (<140/90 mm Hg) and ambulatory (<130/80 mm Hg) BP controlled (P < .001). Women had a lower frequency of masked hypertension (office BP < 140/90 mm Hg and ambulatory BP ≥ 130/80 mm Hg) than men (5.9% vs 7.9%, P < .001). Women had a higher frequency of isolated office hypertension (office BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg and ambulatory BP < 130/80 mm Hg) (32.5% vs 24.2%, P < .001). Although office BP control (office BP < 140/90 mm Hg, regardless of ambulatory values) was similar in women and men (22.3% vs 22.6%, P = .542), ambulatory BP control (ambulatory BP < 130/80 mm Hg, regardless of office values) was higher in women than in men (48.9% vs 38.9%, P < .001). After adjustment for age, number of antihypertensive drugs, hypertension duration, and risk factors, gender differences in BP control remained practically unchanged.

Conclusion

Ambulatory BP control was higher in women than in men. This may be due to the higher frequency of isolated office hypertension in women, and it is not explained by gender differences in other important clinical characteristics.     

Hypertension in African Americans Aged 60 to 79 Years: Statement From the International Society of Hypertension in Blacks

A 2014 hypertension guideline raised goal systolic blood pressure (SBP) from <140 mm Hg to <150 mm Hg for adults 60 years and older without diabetes mellitus (DM) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). The authors aimed to define the status of hypertension in black adults 60 to 79 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2012 and provide practical guidance. Black patients were more often aware and treated (P≤.005) for hypertension than whites and had higher rates of DM/CKD (P<.001), similar control to <140/<90 mm Hg with DM/CKD (P=.59), and lower control without DM/CKD (<140/<90 mm Hg and <150/<90 mm Hg, P≤.01). Limited awareness (<30%) and infrequent health care (>30% 0–1 health‐care visits per year) occurred in untreated black and white hypertensive patients without DM/CKD and BP ≥140/<90 mm Hg. The literature suggests benefits of treated SBP <140 mm Hg in adults 60 to 79 years without DM/CKD. The International Society of Hypertension in Blacks recommends: (1) continuing efforts to achieve BP <140/<90 mm Hg in those with DM/CK, and (2) identifying hypertensive patients without DM/CKD and BP ≥140/<90 mm Hg and treat to an SBP <140 mm Hg in black adults 60–79 years.     

Measure Accurately,Act Rapidly,and Partner With Patients (MAP) improves hypertension control in medically underserved patients: Care Coordination Institute and American Medical Association Hypertension Control Project Pilot Study results

Measure Accurately, Act Rapidly, and Partner With Patients (MAP) is an evidence‐based protocol implemented to improve hypertension control in a clinic for underserved patients (49.9% Medicaid and 50.2% black). Patients with hypertension seen during the year before intervention and with at least one visit during the 6‐month intervention (N = 714) were included. If initial attended blood pressure (BP; standard aneroid manometer) was ≥140/≥90 mm Hg, unattended automated office BP was measured in triplicate and averaged (Measure Accurately) using an Omron HEM‐907XL. When automated office BP was ≥140/≥90 mm Hg, Act Rapidly included intensification of antihypertensive medications, assessed by therapeutic inertia. Partner With Patients included BP self‐monitoring, reducing pill burden, and minimizing medication costs, which was assessed by systolic BP change per therapeutic intensification. Between baseline and the last study visit, BP control to <140/<90 mm Hg increased from 61.2% to 89.9% (P < .0001). MAP rapidly and significantly improved hypertension control in medically underserved patients, largely as a result of measuring BP accurately and partnering with patients.     

Low Blood Pressure Is Associated With Greater Risk for Cardiovascular Events in Treated Adults With and Without Apparent Treatment‐Resistant Hypertension

Apparent treatment‐resistant hypertension (aTRH) may confound the reported relationship between low blood pressure (BP) and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) in treated hypertensive patients. Incident CVD was assessed in treated hypertensive patients with and without aTRH (BP ≥140 and/or ≥90 mm Hg on ≥3 medications or <140/<90 mm Hg on ≥4 BP medications) at three BP levels: 1: <120 and/or <70 mm Hg and <140/<90 mm Hg; 2: 120–139/70–89 mm Hg; and 3: ≥140 and/or ≥90 mm Hg. Electronic health data were matched to emergency and hospital claims for incident CVD in 118 356 treated hypertensive patients. In adults with and without aTRH, respectively, CVD was greater in level 1 versus level 2 (multivariable hazard ratio, 1.88 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70–2.07]; 1.71 [95% CI, 1.59–1.84]), intermediate in level 1 versus level 3 (hazard ratio, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.21–1.44]; 0.99, [95% CI, 0.92–1.07]), and lowest in level 2 versus level 3 (hazard ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.65–0.76]; 0.58, [95% CI, 0.54–0.62]). Low treated BP was associated with more CVD than less stringent BP control irrespective of aTRH.     

True Resistant Hypertension Following Observed Drug Ingestion: A Systematic Evaluation

The authors investigated the role of poor drug adherence in treatment‐resistant hypertension following observed drug ingestion in 102 patients. Median blood pressures (BPs) were 170/91 mm Hg at referral, 153/84 mm Hg prior to, and 142/79 mm Hg during a 4‐ to 6‐hour period after drug ingestion. Median daytime ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) over the following 24 hours was 142/80 mm Hg. Median BP at a final follow‐up clinic visit was 147/79 mm Hg. The cumulative number of patients achieving a goal of <140/90 mm Hg in clinic or <135/85 mm Hg mean on ABPM was 57 (56%), with a further nine (9%) controlled at the final follow‐up clinic visit. Thus, 65% of patients achieved a systolic BP <140 mm Hg at any point immediately prior to, or after, drug ingestion; the residual 35% were considered to have true resistant hypertension. In conclusion, among patients with suspected resistant hypertension, a minority were truly treatment‐resistant following observed drug ingestion and BP monitoring.     

Trends in Prevalence,Awareness, Treatment,and Control of Blood Pressure Recorded From 2004 to 2014 During World Hypertension Day in Italy

Estimates of blood pressure (BP) control in real life are not systematically collected in Italy. We evaluated trends in systolic/diastolic BP levels, as well as prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension among adult individuals visiting open checkpoints during the 2004 to 2014 annual editions of World Hypertension Day. Hypertension was defined as BP level ≥140/90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive medication, whereas BP control was defined as BP level <140/90 mm Hg. We included 10,051 individuals (53.2% female, age 56.2±16.8 years, body mass index 25.7±7.6 kg/m², systolic/diastolic BP 131.9±18.6/79.1±10.5 mm Hg). Hypertension prevalence and treatment were substantially unchanged, whereas awareness appears to increase over time. Controlled hypertension in diagnosed treated patients increased from 50.0% in 2004–2010 to 55.5% in 2011–2012 towards 57.6% in 2013–2014. This analysis provides real‐life snapshots of hypertension over the years in the occasion of World Hypertension Day, showing increased awareness and improved control rates among treated hypertensive patients attending open checkpoints during 2004 to 2014 in Italy.     

The epidemiology of elevated blood pressure as an estimate for hypertension in Aydin, Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is an important public health problem, with some variability of its epidemiological properties in different populations. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and to determine the hypertension awareness, treatment and control rates in Aydin, a Turkish province. METHODS: Of 1600 coincidentally selected people aged over 18 years in Aydin, 1480 (92.5%) had their blood pressure (BP) measured and answered a standard questionnaire in 1995. RESULTS: Estimates of the prevalence of hypertension and its control were computed using two different criteria to define hypertension: BP > or =140/90 mm Hg or on treatment and BP > or =160/95 mm Hg or on treatment. Overall, the estimated prevalence of hypertension was 29.6% (for BP > or =140/90 mm Hg or on treatment). Hypertension prevalence increased progressively with age, from 9% in 18- to 29-year-olds to 70.6% in those 70-79 years of age. Women had a significantly higher prevalence than men (34.1% vs 26.0% respectively). Overall, 57.9% of hypertensive individuals were aware that they had high BP, and 82.1% of aware hypertensives were being treated with antihypertensive medications, but only 19.8% of treated hypertensives were under control (systolic pressure <140 mm Hg and diastolic pressure <90 mm Hg). In addition, housewives, unemployed, and the less educated individuals had greater mean systolic and diastolic BP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that hypertension is highly prevalent in Aydin, Turkey, and the detection and control of hypertension is unsatisfactory.     

Comparison of aliskiren/hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy with hydrochlorothiazide monotherapy in older patients with stage 2 systolic hypertension: results of the ACTION study

Patients with stage 2 systolic hypertension require sizable blood pressure (BP) reductions to achieve recommended targets. This randomized double-blind study compared a single-pill combination of the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren and hydrochlorothiazide (aliskiren/HCTZ) with HCTZ monotherapy in older patients (older than 55 years) with systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg and <200 mm Hg. After a 1- to 4-week washout, 451 patients were randomized to once-daily aliskiren/HCTZ 150/12.5 mg or HCTZ 12.5 mg for 1 week, and then double the doses for 7 weeks. Overall baseline BP was 168.8/91.4 mm Hg. At week 4 (primary) end point, aliskiren/HCTZ provided significantly greater BP reductions from baseline than HCTZ monotherapy (29.6/9.3 mm Hg vs 22.3/6.8 mm Hg) and resulted in a greater proportion of patients achieving BP goal of <140/90 mm Hg (51.1% vs 33.3%). Aliskiren/HCTZ therapy provides substantial BP reductions and may thus be a useful treatment option for older patients with stage 2 hypertension.     

Independent predictors of effective blood pressure control in patients with hypertension on drug treatment in Brazil

Population assessment of effective blood pressure (BP) control is fundamental for reducing the global burden of hypertension, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The authors evaluated the effectiveness of BP control and determined independent predictors associated with effective control among patients with hypertension on drug treatment in a large cross‐sectional study performed in two metropolitan areas in Brazil's southeast region. A total of 43 647 patients taking antihypertensive treatment were identified. Less than half of the patients (40.9%) had controlled BP (systolic BP <140 mm Hg and diastolic BP <90 mm Hg). Independent predictors of BP control were age, eating fruit daily, physical activity, previous cardiovascular disease, male sex, diabetes mellitus, ethnicity, and obesity. Simple variables associated with BP control may be utilized for knowledge translation strategies aiming to reduce the burden of hypertension.     

The variance of hypertension prevalence detected by epidemiological survey against clinical practice: data from a rural population in South China

The present study intended to evaluate the variation of the hypertensive prevalence detected on a single-day blood pressure (BP) value against that on an average of 3-day BP values. This study included 1185 residents (age 21–94, 62.6 ± 14.0 years, 491 males) for BP measurements over three separate visits within a 7-day period. The newly diagnosed hypertension on the first day BP value was recorded as hypertension by epidemiological method, whereas that on the average of 3-day BP values as hypertension by clinical method. True positive rate (TPR) was the ratio of the newly diagnosed hypertensives by clinical method to those by epidemiological method. The overestimation ratio was calculated based on the following formula: (epidemiological prevalence–clinical prevalence)/epidemiological prevalence. Our results showed that of the 367 newly diagnosed hypertensives by epidemiological method, 308 were confirmed by clinical method, and with a TPR of 83.9%. The epidemiological prevalence of hypertension was higher than the clinical prevalence (41.1% vs. 36.1%) with an overestimation ratio of 12.2%. In addition, the participants aged <65 years had a lower TPR (77.9% vs. 87.8%, P = .012) against the participants aged ≥65 years. Furthermore, participants with systolic BP values of <160 mm Hg (78.2% vs. 100%, P < .001) or diastolic BP values of <100 mm Hg also had a lower TPR (70.1% vs. 100%, P = .006) compared with those having a systolic BP of 140–159 mm Hg or diastolic BP 90–99 mm Hg. It is concluded that in this population, the hypertension prevalence by epidemiological method is overestimated by 12.2% against clinical hypertension prevalence.     

Optimal Systolic Blood Pressure Target After SPRINT: Insights from a Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Background

The optimal on-treatment blood pressure (BP) target has been a matter of debate. The recent SPRINT trial showed significant benefits of a BP target of <120 mm Hg, albeit with an increase in serious adverse effects related to low BP.

Cardiovascular outcome in treated hypertensive patients with responder, masked, false resistant, and true resistant hypertension

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular outcome in apparently responder hypertensive patients with responder and masked hypertension, and in apparently resistant hypertensive patients with false and true resistant hypertension. METHODS: The occurrence of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events was evaluated in 340 patients with responder hypertension (clinic blood pressure [BP] <140/90 mm Hg and daytime BP <135/85 mm Hg), 126 with masked hypertension (clinic BP <140/90 mm Hg and daytime BP >135 or 85 mm Hg), 146 with false resistant hypertension (clinic BP >or=140 or 90 mm Hg and daytime BP <135/85 mm Hg), and 130 with true resistant hypertension (clinic BP >or=140 or 90 mm Hg and daytime BP >135 or 85 mm Hg). RESULTS: During follow-up period (4.98 +/- 2.9 years), the event-rate per 100 patient-years was 0.87, 2.42, 1.2, and 4.1 in patients with responder, masked, false resistant, and true resistant hypertension, respectively. After adjustment for several covariates, including clinic BP (forced into the model), Cox regression analysis showed that cardiovascular risk was significantly higher in masked hypertension (masked versus responder hypertension, relative risk [RR] 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.7, P < .05) and in true resistant hypertension (true resistant versus responder hypertension, RR 2.94, 95% CI 1.02-8.41, P < .05), whereas there was no significant difference between false resistant and responder hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that patients with masked hypertension are at higher risk than those with responder hypertension, and that those with false resistant hypertension are at lower risk than those with true resistant hypertension. Ambulatory BP monitoring should be performed in treated hypertensive patients to obtain a better prognostic stratification.     

Hypertension Treatment and Control Among 28 Physician Practices Across the United States: Results of the Hypertension: Assessment of Treatment to Target (HATT) Study

J Clin Hypertens(Greenwich). 2010;12:603–612. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chart reviews were conducted at 28 US physician practices to evaluate blood pressure (BP) management. The cross-sectional study included 8250 adult patients diagnosed with hypertension. The primary outcome variable was BP control (BP <140/90 mm Hg for nondiabetic and <130/80 mm Hg for diabetic patients). Mean body mass index was 30.9 kg/m², 49% were obese, 54% were women, mean age was 64.9 years, and 25% had diabetes. Mean BP was 132.2/77.8 mm Hg, and 55.8% of study participants had controlled BP. Patients with uncontrolled BP were more likely to be obese or African American, and more than twice as likely to have diabetes. Almost 1 in 5 nondiabetic patients (18%), and 38% of diabetic patients, were above goal BP by >10 mm Hg systolic or >5 mm Hg diastolic; among these patients, 36% used 0 or 1 antihypertensive medication, and 32% used 2 medications. Opportunity exists to improve BP control in this population.     

2014 Eighth Joint National Committee Panel Recommendation for Blood Pressure Targets Revisited : Results From the INVEST Study

Background

The 2014 Eighth Joint National Committee panel recommendations for management of high blood pressure (BP) recommend a systolic BP threshold for initiation of drug therapy and a therapeutic target of <150 mm Hg in those ≥60 years of age, a departure from prior recommendations of <140 mm Hg. However, it is not known whether this is an optimal choice, especially for the large population with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Objectives

This study sought to evaluate optimal BP in patients ≥60 years of age.

Methods

Patients 60 years of age or older with CAD and baseline systolic BP >150 mm Hg randomized to a treatment strategy on the basis of either atenolol/hydrochlorothiazide or verapamil-SR (sustained release)/trandolapril in INVEST (INternational VErapamil SR Trandolapril STudy) were categorized into 3 groups on the basis of achieved on-treatment systolic BP: group 1, <140 mm Hg; group 2, 140 to <150 mm Hg; and group 3, ≥150 mm Hg. Primary outcome was first occurrence of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), or nonfatal stroke. Secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, total MI, nonfatal MI, total stroke, nonfatal stroke, heart failure, or revascularization, tabulated separately. Outcomes for each group were compared in unadjusted and multiple propensity score–adjusted models.

Results

Among 8,354 patients included in this analysis with an accumulated 22,308 patient-years of follow-up, 4,787 (57%) achieved systolic BP of <140 mm Hg (group 1), 1,747 (21%) achieved systolic BP of 140 to <150 mm Hg (group 2), and 1,820 (22%) achieved systolic BP of ≥150 mm Hg (group 3). In unadjusted models, group 1 had the lowest rates of the primary outcome (9.36% vs. 12.71% vs. 21.32%; p < 0.0001), all-cause mortality (7.92% vs. 10.07% vs. 16.81%; p < 0.0001), cardiovascular mortality (3.26% vs. 4.58% vs. 7.80%; p < 0.0001), MI (1.07% vs. 1.03% vs. 2.91%; p < 0.0001), total stroke (1.19% vs. 2.63% vs. 3.85%; p <0.0001), and nonfatal stroke (0.86% vs 1.89% vs 2.86%; p<0.0001) compared with groups 2 and 3, respectively. In multiple propensity score–adjusted models, compared with the reference group of <140 mm Hg (group 1), the risk of cardiovascular mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.77; p = 0.04), total stroke (adjusted HR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.26 to 2.82; p = 0.002) and nonfatal stroke (adjusted HR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.72; p = 0.03) was increased in the group with BP of 140 to <150 mm Hg, whereas the risk of primary outcome, all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, total MI, nonfatal MI, total stroke, and nonfatal stroke was increased in the group with BP ≥150 mm Hg.

Conclusions

In hypertensive patients with CAD who are ≥60 years of age, achieving a BP target of 140 to <150 mm Hg as recommended by the JNC-8 panel was associated with less benefit than the previously recommended target of <140 mm Hg.     

Efficacy and Safety of Irbesartan/HCTZ in Severe Hypertension According to Cardiometabolic Factors

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich).2010;12:487–494. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This post hoc analysis of a 7-week, randomized, double-blind trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of initial irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide treatment in 468 patients with severe, uncontrolled, hypertension (diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≥100 mm Hg) at high cardiovascular risk. Systolic blood pressure (SBP)/DBP reductions ranged from 28.0 to 42.9/22.9 to 27.2 mm Hg in patients with obesity, diabetes, baseline SBP ≥180 mm Hg, and in the elderly. Blood pressure control to <140/90 mm Hg in the age and obesity subgroups ranged from 32.1% to 39.2% while control to <130/80 mm Hg in patients with diabetes was 11.5%. After 1 week of therapy, 72.5% of patients no longer had SBP ≥180 mm Hg; by 7 weeks, 51.3% had SBP 140 to 159 mm Hg and 26.5% had SBP <140 mm Hg. Treatment was well tolerated regardless of the subgroup. No excess of prespecified events was noted. Thus, initial treatment with irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide was rapidly effective in high-risk, difficult-to-treat, severely hypertensive patients.     

Patterns of hypertension management in France in 2015: The ESTEBAN survey

The purposes of this study were to describe the hypertensive population and therapeutic management of hypertension in adults between 18 and 74 years of age in France in 2015.
Esteban survey is a cross‐sectional survey with a clinical examination conducted in a representative sample of French adults aged 18‐74 years between 2014 and 2016. Esteban was entirely public‐funded. Blood pressure (BP) was measured during clinical examination with a standardized protocol, and pharmacological treatment was collected through the exhaustive Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS) database. Hypertension was defined by systolic BP (SBP)> 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP (DBP)> 90 mm Hg or treatment with BP‐lowering drugs. The therapeutic control of treated hypertensive patients was defined by SBP < 140 mm Hg and DBP < 90 mm Hg.
Adherence to drug treatment was defined as more than 80% of days covered by BP‐lowering drug per year. The prevalence of hypertension was 31.3%. 74.7% of aware hypertensive participants taking an antihypertensive drug, and 57.7% of them were treated with a single antihypertensive pharmacological class. Overall, among hypertensives, 24.3% had a satisfactory BP control. Only 49.7% of treated hypertensives participants were controlled, and 33.6% of them were adherent to their drug treatment. The prevalence of hypertension in France remains high, with only 74.7% of the aware hypertensive participants receiving pharmacological therapy and only 48.9% of aware hypertensives with a BP at goal. More effective measures are needed to improve clinical management of hypertension in France.     

Changes in Hypertension Treatment in the Yaroslavl Region of Russia: Improvements Observed Between 2 Cross‐Sectional Surveys

This prospective before‐and‐after survey of hypertensive patients visiting government‐run outpatient health facilities in the Yaroslavl Region of Russia assessed blood pressure (BP)–related endpoints following initiation of a comprehensive health system improvement program for hypertension. Two cross‐sectional surveys, one at baseline and the other approximately 1 year after program initiation, evaluated the primary measure of BP control rate. Secondary measures included mean BP levels and distribution, cardiovascular risk factors, and associated conditions, heart rate levels, and antihypertensive therapy. From the 2011 survey (n=1794) to the 2012 survey (n=2992), BP control rate (<140/90 mm Hg) significantly increased from 16.8% to 23.0%, reflecting a 37% relative improvement (P<.0001). Mean BP level was significantly reduced from 151/90 mm Hg to 147/88 mm Hg (P<.0001). Severe uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP ≥180 mm Hg) was reduced from 9.7% to 6.4% (P<.0001). Implementing a guidelines‐based treatment protocol with medical and patient education programs resulted in physician behavior change and improved patient BP control.     

Efficacy of the combination of amlodipine and valsartan in patients with hypertension uncontrolled with previous monotherapy: the Exforge in Failure after Single Therapy (EX-FAST) study

In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter study, patients whose blood pressure (BP) was uncontrolled by monotherapy were switched directly to amlodipine/valsartan 5/160 mg (n=443) or 10/160 mg (n=451). After 16 weeks, BP control (levels <140/90 mm Hg or <130/80 mm Hg for diabetics) was achieved in 72.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 68.6-76.9) of patients receiving amlodipine/valsartan 5/160 mg and in 74.8% (95% CI, 70.8-78.9) receiving amlodipine/valsartan 10/160 mg. Incremental reductions from baseline in mean sitting systolic and diastolic BP were significantly greater with the higher dose (20.0+/-0.7 vs 17.5+/-0.7 mm Hg; P=.0003 and 11.6+/-0.4 vs 10.4+/-0.4 mm Hg; P=.0046). Incremental BP reductions were also achieved with both regimens irrespective of previous monotherapy, hypertension severity, diabetic status, body mass index, and age. Peripheral edema was the most frequent adverse event. These results provide support for the BP-lowering benefits of complementary antihypertensive therapy with amlodipine and valsartan in patients with hypertension uncontrolled by previous monotherapy.     

Prevalence,Awareness, Treatment,and Control of Hypertension in Lebanon

The prevalence and factors related to hypertension (HTN) treatment and control are well investigated in the Western world but remain poorly understood in the Middle East and in middle‐income countries such as Lebanon. In order to measure the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates of HTN in Lebanon, the authors measured blood pressure (BP) in 1697 adults. The prevalence of optimal BP (<120/80 mm Hg) was 33% and that of pre‐HTN (BP ≥120/80 mm Hg but <140/90 mm Hg) was 30%. The prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control (among treated hypertensive) rates of HTN were 36.9%, 53%, 48.9%, and 54.2%, respectively. Overall, only 27% of patients with HTN had their BP under control. Awareness was the most important predictor of treatment. No predictor of control could be identified. The authors concluded that HTN is prevalent in Lebanon and its overall control is low. Improving awareness is the most important target for intervention.