WASHINGTON -- A "neglected disease." That's what a new report calls hypertension. Which is pretty incredible, since high blood pressure is not an obscure illness. It's a common condition in a country as rich as the United States. So why are we so lax on high blood pressure treatment?
The prestigious Institute of Medicine issued the report Monday. It says that while nearly one in three adults has hypertension, fighting it apparently has fallen out of fashion: Doctors often don't treat it aggressively, and the government hasn't made it enough of a priority, either.
Yet the institute said high blood pressure is relatively simple to prevent and treat. High blood pressure is the nation's second-leading cause of death.
The report says simple steps could make a big difference -- cut the salt, eat more potassium, get some exercise and drop 10 pounds.
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