A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that approximately 79% of adult hypertensive patients in the United States have uncontrolled blood pressure, which significantly increases their risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Among these individuals with uncontrolled blood pressure, up to 61% refuse to take antihypertensive medication. And the data shows that about two-thirds of those who did not take medication had blood pressure about 10 millimeters of mercury higher than the ideal target - which means that with medication and lifestyle adjustments, many people's blood pressure can return to a safe range. The study was conducted by a team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They analyzed the situation of over 3200 hypertensive patients based on federal health survey data from 2021 to 2023. The study is based on the standards set by the American Heart Association and the College of Cardiology, which require a systolic blood pressure below 130mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure below 80mmHg as blood pressure control targets. Research has found that over 80% of patients with blood pressure not meeting the standard have medical insurance and fixed medical institutions. This indicates that the problem is not 'inability to see the disease', but 'inadequate treatment'. Experts say that controlling hypertension can bring huge health benefits, but there are obvious gaps in current management. Long term hypertension can lead to serious consequences such as stroke, myocardial infarction, and renal dysfunction, and may even pose risks in the short term. Nowadays, the vast majority of patients urgently need to optimize blood pressure management, and this demand has not been fully addressed. Experts emphasize that medication is not the only means. Lifestyle interventions such as salt reduction, exercise, weight loss, and alcohol restriction are equally crucial, especially in reducing salt intake, which has a significant effect, but people often underestimate its power. (New Society)