Characteristics of U.S. Adults With Hypertension Who Are Unaware of Their Hypertension, 2011-2014.

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey •In 2011-2014, 15.9% of adults with hypertension were unaware of their hypertension. This was a 46% decline since 1999-2002 (29.5%). •A higher percentage of men (19.2%) than women (12.9%) and younger (aged 18-39, 30.8%) than older (aged 60 and over, 12.5%) adults with hypertension were unaware of their condition. •A higher percentage of non-Hispanic Asian (24.7%) and Hispanic (20.2%) adults than non-Hispanic white (14.9%) and non-Hispanic black (14.7%) adults with hypertension were unaware of their condition. •Almost 30% of adults with hypertension who had no health insurance were unaware of their hypertension compared with 14.4% of those with insurance. •As health care visits increased, the percentage of adults with hypertension who were unaware of their status decreased. High blood pressure is a risk factor for multiple diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease (1). In 2011-2014, about 29% of U.S. adults had hypertension (2). Adults with hypertension who are undiagnosed and unaware of their hypertension will not be treated, and their blood pressure may remain above normal levels with damaging effects. Therefore, diagnosis and awareness of hypertension are essential for blood pressure management and control. This report presents recent national estimates of adults with hypertension who are unaware of their hypertension, that is, they reported not being told by a doctor or health care provider that they had high blood pressure.