New PSA campaign urges Americans to bring hypertension under control

NEW YORK, NY — Today the American Heart Association (AHA), American Stroke Association (ASA), and the American Medical Association (AMA) announced a new public service awareness (PSA) campaign in partnership with the Ad Council. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of the serious, life-altering consequences of uncontrolled high blood pressure, and motivate people to work with their doctor on developing and committing to a treatment plan to manage their blood pressure. Launched on the heels of a new guideline that means more people will have high blood pressure, the new campaign features actual stroke and heart attack survivors to show viewers the devastating consequences of uncontrolled high blood pressure—underscoring the urgency of controlling the condition.

An estimated 103 million American adults now have high blood pressure, but only about half have their condition under control. While most people know what their blood pressure numbers are, many don’t feel an urgency to manage them because there are often no signs or symptoms associated with high blood pressure—which is why it’s often referred to as the “silent killer.” If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to potentially fatal consequences like heart attack and stroke. Although there is no cure for high blood pressure, it can be managed effectively by working with a doctor to create a treatment plan, which includes healthy lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, consuming less salt, drinking alcohol in moderation, losing weight if overweight, and taking medication if needed.