Report: U.S. Neglects High Blood Pressure

The U.S. government, doctors and patients need to do more to prevent and treat high blood pressure, an expert group says. The call for action came from the Institute of Medicine. This independent group advises the government on health matters. Nearly 1 out of 3 adults has high blood pressure. The condition is also called hypertension. It increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. But doctors often don’t treat it aggressively, the institute said. And the U.S. government has not made it a priority. The institute had several recommendations. It said doctors should be sure to treat both types of high blood pressure, diastolic and systolic. People should eat less sodium and more potassium. Exercise and weight loss also would help. The institute urged the government to work with food makers to reduce sodium in foods.