Medical Report: Your neighborhood could play a role in treatment for high blood pressure

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More than 116 million Americans suffer from high blood pressure, and controlling it is one of the most effective ways to prevent heart disease and stroke.

According to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association , a drop in 10mm Hg in the bottom number of a typical blood pressure measurement can reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event by 30%.

It should not be surprising that the rate of hypertension is significantly higher in economically challenged ZIP codes. A crucial issue is a lack of treatment for the condition and the availability of medications.

According to the report, neighborhood outreach is essential, and lowering the percentage of people with high blood pressure could have a dramatic impact.

Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough .

​​KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.