NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Hypertension Among Adults in the United States: National 

Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012

Tatiana Nwankwo, M.S.; Sung Sug (Sarah) Yoon, Ph.D., R.N.; Vicki Burt, Sc.M., R.N.; 

and Qiuping Gu, M.D., Ph.D.

Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and affects 

almost one-third of the U.S. adult population (1). In 2009–2010, nearly 82% 

of adults with hypertension were aware of their status, and nearly 76% were 

taking medication (2). Despite considerable improvement in increasing 

the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, undiagnosed and 

uncontrolled hypertension among minority groups remains a challenge 

(3–5). This report presents survey results for 2011–2012 on the prevalence, 

awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension. 

Keywords: high blood pressure • awareness • treatment • control

What was the prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults, 

and were there differences by age, sex, or race and Hispanic 

origin?

•	 The overall prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults aged 18 and 

over was 29.1% in 2011–2012 and was similar among men (29.7%) and 

women (28.5%) (Figure 1). 

Key findings

Data from the National 

Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey, 

2011–2012

•	 The age-adjusted prevalence 

of hypertension among U.S. 

adults aged 18 and over was 

29.1% in 2011–2012, similar to 

the prevalence in 2009–2010.

•	 The prevalence of hypertension was similar for men 

and women at nearly one-third. 

The prevalence increased with 

age and was highest among 

older adults; it was also highest 

among non-Hispanic black 

adults, at approximately 42%.

•	 Among adults with hypertension, nearly 83% were 

aware, nearly 76% were taking 

medication to lower their blood 

pressure, and nearly 52% 

were controlled. There was no 

change in awareness, treatment, 

and control from 2009–2010 to 

2011–2012.

•	 Controlled hypertension 

was similar across race and 

Hispanic origin groups, but 

the percentage controlled was 

higher for women and older 

adults. †

 Significant linear trend. 1Significantly different from non-Hispanic white. 2Significantly different from non-Hispanic black. 

NOTE: Estimates were age-adjusted by the direct method to the Census 2000 population, using the age groups 18–39, 40–59, 

and 60 and over. SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012.

Figure 1. Age-specific and age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 18 and 

over: United States, 2011–2012

Percent

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Overall 29.1

Race and Hispanic origin

Non-Hispanic white 28.0 1 Non-Hispanic black 42.1 2 Non-Hispanic Asian 24.7

2 Hispanic 26.0

Sex

Men 29.7

Women 28.5

Age† (years)

60 and over 65.0

40–59 32.4

18–39 7.3
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

■  2  ■

•	 The prevalence of hypertension increased with age, from 7.3% among those aged 18–39, to 

32.4% among those 40–59, to 65.0% among those 60 and over.

•	 The prevalence of hypertension was highest among non-Hispanic black adults (42.1%), 

compared with non-Hispanic white (28.0%), Hispanic (26.0%), and non-Hispanic Asian 

(24.7%) adults.

Has overall awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension changed 

since 2009–2010? 

•	 During 2011–2012, among adults with hypertension, 82.7% were aware of their 

hypertension, 75.6% reported currently taking prescribed medication to lower their blood 

pressure, and 51.8% had their blood pressure controlled (Figure 2). 

•	 There was no significant change from 2009–2010 in awareness, treatment, or control among

adults with hypertension.

Figure 2. Age-adjusted awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among adults with hypertension: United States, 

2009–2012

NOTE: Age-adjusted prevalence of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were calculated using the subpopulation of persons with hypertension in 

2011–2012. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012.

0

20

40

60

80

100

Awareness Treatment Control

Percent

2009–2010 2011–2012

81.9 82.7

75.6

53.3 51.8

76.4
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

■  3  ■

Did awareness of hypertension among U.S. adults with hypertension differ 

by age, sex, or race and Hispanic origin in 2011–2012? 

•	 Men (80.2%) and women (85.4%) were alike in their awareness of hypertension (Figure 3).

•	 Among adults with hypertension, awareness of hypertension among those aged 18–39 

(61.8%) was lower than for those aged 40–59 (83.0%) and 60 and over (86.1%). 

•	 Non-Hispanic Asian adults with hypertension were less aware of their condition (72.8%) 

than were non-Hispanic black (85.7%), Hispanic (82.2%), and non-Hispanic white (82.7%) 

adults. 

1

Significantly different from those aged 18–39.

2

Significantly different from non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic.

NOTE: Age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension awareness was calculated using the subpopulation of persons with hypertension in 2011–2012.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012.

Figure 3. Age-specific and age-adjusted awareness of hypertension among adults with hypertension, by sex, age, and 

race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2011–2012 

Percent

0 20 40 60 80 100

Race and Hispanic origin

Age (years)

Sex

Awareness

Non-Hispanic black

Non-Hispanic white

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic Asian

Women

Men

60 and over

40–59

18–39

80.2

85.4

61.8

1

83.0

1

86.1

82.7

85.7

2

72.8

82.2
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

■  4  ■

Did treatment of hypertension among U.S. adults with hypertension differ 

by age, sex, or race and Hispanic origin in 2011–2012? 

•	 More women (80.6%) than men (70.9%) reported taking antihypertensive medication. 

(Figure 4).

•	 Current use of medication to lower blood pressure increased with age: 44.5% for those aged 

18–39, 73.7% for those 40–59, and 82.2% for those 60 and over. 

•	 Non-Hispanic Asian adults with hypertension were less likely to report taking 

antihypertensive medication (65.2%) than were non-Hispanic black (77.4%) and

non-Hispanic white (76.7%) adults. 

†

 Significant linear trend.

1

Statistically different from men.

2

Statistically different from non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black.

NOTE: Age-adjusted prevalence of treated hypertension was calculated using the subpopulation of persons with hypertension in 2011–2012.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012.

Figure 4. Age-specific and age-adjusted treatment of hypertension among adults with hypertension, by sex, age, and race 

and Hispanic origin: United States, 2011–2012

Treatment

Percent

0 20 40 60 80 100

Race and Hispanic origin

Age†

 (years)

Sex

Non-Hispanic black

Non-Hispanic white

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic Asian

Women

Men

60 and over

40–59

18–39

70.9

1

80.6

44.5

73.7

82.2

76.7

77.4

2

65.2

73.5

Did control of hypertension among U.S. adults with hypertension differ by 

age, sex, or race and Hispanic origin in 2011–2012? 

•	 The percentage of controlled hypertension among adults was higher for women (55.2%) 

than for men (49.3%) (Figure 5). 

•	 Among adults with hypertension, those aged 18–39 (34.4%) were less likely to have 

controlled blood pressure than those 40–59 (57.8% ) or 60 and over (50.5%). 

•	 However, there was no difference in controlled hypertension among adults in the

different race and Hispanic origin groups: non-Hispanic Asian (46.0%), Hispanic 

(46.5%), non-Hispanic black (49.5%), and non-Hispanic white (53.9%).
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

■  5  ■

1

Statistically different from men.

2

Significantly different from those aged 18–39.

NOTE: Age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension control was calculated using the subpopulation of persons with hypertension in 2011–2012.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012.

Figure 5. Age-specific and age-adjusted control of hypertension among adults with hypertension, by sex, age, and race 

and Hispanic origin: United States, 2011–2012

Control

Percent

Race and Hispanic origin

Sex

Non-Hispanic black

Non-Hispanic white

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic Asian

Women

Men

0 20 40 60 80 100

49.3

1

55.2

Age (years)

60 and over

40–59

18–39 34.4

2

57.8

2

50.5

53.9

49.5

46.0

46.5

Summary

The overall prevalence of hypertension has not changed appreciably since 2009–2010. The

age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension among U.S. adults was 29.1% in 2011–2012. Among 

adults with hypertension in 2011–2012, 82.8% were aware of their hypertension, 75.7% were 

currently taking medication to lower their blood pressure, and 51.9% had their blood pressure 

controlled to less than 140/90 mm Hg.

Men and women had similar prevalence and awareness of hypertension, but more women 

than men were treating their hypertension and had it under control. Young adults aged 18–39 

continued to have lower awareness, treatment, and control of their hypertension compared with 

older adults. 

Hypertension prevalence was still highest among non-Hispanic black adults. However, awareness, 

treatment, and control of hypertension were similar among non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic 

white, and Hispanic adults. Non-Hispanic Asian adults had a lower prevalence of awareness

than the other race and Hispanic origin groups, and lower treatment than non-Hispanic white

and non-Hispanic black adults. However, hypertension control was similar among non-Hispanic

Asian adults and the other race and Hispanic origin groups.

Hypertension is a common and manageable chronic condition. Based on recent national data from 

2011–2012, treatment of hypertension exceeded the Healthy People 2020 target goal of 69.5%.

However, the control of hypertension has neither met the goal of the Healthy People 2020 (61.2% 

by 2020) nor the Million Hearts Initiative (65% by 2017). These results provide evidence for 

continued efforts to improve the management of hypertension in order to attain these goals (6,7).
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

■  6  ■

Definitions

Hypertension: Systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or above, or diastolic blood pressure of 90 

mm Hg or above, or currently taking medication to lower blood pressure (8,9).

Awareness of hypertension: Indicated, among those with hypertension, by an affirmative response

to the question, “Have you ever been told by a doctor or health professional that you had 

hypertension, also called high blood pressure?” Estimates are age-adjusted among persons with 

hypertension.

Treatment for hypertension: Defined, among those with hypertension, as currently taking

medication to lower blood pressure, based on affirmative responses to the following questions:

(a) “Because of your high blood pressure/hypertension, have you ever been told to take prescribed 

medicine?” and (b) “Are you now following this advice to take prescribed medicine?” Estimates 

are age-adjusted among persons with hypertension.

Controlled hypertension: Having systolic blood pressure below 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood 

pressure below 90 mm Hg among those with hypertension (5). Estimates are age-adjusted among 

persons with hypertension.

Data source and methods

Data for this report are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 

a cross-sectional survey designed to monitor the health and nutritional status of the civilian 

noninstitutionalized U.S. population (10). NHANES is conducted by the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The survey 

consists of interviews conducted in the participant’s home; a standardized physical examination 

that includes measurement of blood pressure, weight, and height, conducted in a mobile 

examination center; and laboratory tests using the blood and urine specimens provided by the 

participant during the physical examination.

The NHANES sample is selected through a complex, multistage design. The sample design 

includes oversampling to obtain reliable estimates of health and nutritional measures for 

population subgroups. In 2011–2012, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic 

persons were oversampled to produce reliable statistics for these subgroups. Race and Hispanic 

origin-specific estimates reflect persons reporting only one race; those reporting more than one

race are included in the total but are not reported separately.

An average of up to three brachial systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) readings were 

taken to obtain systolic and diastolic BP values. Among all participants, 95.1% had two or 

three complete BP measurements. For participants with only one BP reading (0.5%), that 

single measurement was used. All BP readings were obtained during a participant’s physical 

examination. BP was measured in a mobile examination center by a trained physician following a 

standard protocol. Appropriate BP cuff sizes were used for participants based on measurement of 

midarm circumference.

Sample weights (which account for the differential probabilities of selection nonresponse and 

noncoverage) were incorporated into the estimation process. Because of the complex multistage 

design of NHANES, the survey data must be weighted in order to produce national estimates. 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

■  7  ■

The standard errors of the percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, a method 

that incorporates the sample weights and accounts for sample design. Pregnant females were 

excluded from analyses.

Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS System for Windows, version 9.3 (SAS 

Institute, Inc., Cary, N.C.) and SUDAAN, version 10.0 (RTI International, Research Triangle 

Park, N.C.). Age-adjusted prevalence estimates were calculated for race and Hispanic origin 

and sex categories by using SUDAAN PROC DESCRIPT and the 2000 U.S. census projected 

population for age groups 18–39, 40–59, and 60 and over (11). Age-adjusted prevalence of 

awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were calculated using the subpopulation of 

persons who have hypertension, as recommended by the National Surveillance Definitions for

Hypertension (12). Differences in distribution of prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control by 

sex, age group, and race and Hispanic origin were tested using chi-squared tests. For comparison 

of estimates by age and race and Hispanic origin, adjustments for multiple comparisons were 

made using the Bonferroni method by dividing 0.05 by the number of implied comparisons. All 

differences reported are statistically significant unless otherwise indicated. Statistical tests were

considered significant at p < 0.05 (two tails).

About the authors

Tatiana Nwankwo, Sarah Yoon, Vicki Burt, and Qiuping Gu are with CDC’s National Center for 

Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

References

1. Ong KL, Tso AW, Lam KS, Cheung BM. Gender difference in blood pressure control and 

cardiovascular risk factors in Americans with diagnosed hypertension. Hypertension 51(4):

1142–8. 2008.

2. Yoon SS, Burt V, Louis T, Carroll MD. Hypertension among adults in the United States, 

2009–2010. NCHS data brief, no 107. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 

2012. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db107.pdf.

3. Keenan NL, Rosendorf KA. Prevalence of hypertension and controlled hypertension—

United States, 2005–2008. MMWR 60(suppl):94–7. 2011. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/

mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6001a21.htm.

4. CDC. Racial/ethnic disparities in the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension—

United States, 2003–2010. MMWR 62(18):351–5. 2013. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/

mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6218a2.htm?s_cid=mm6218a2_w.

5. Farley TA, Dalal MA, Mostashari F, Frieden TR. Deaths preventable in the U.S. by 

improvements in use of clinical preventive services. Am J Prev Med 38(6):600–9. 2010.

6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health

Promotion. Healthy People 2020. Washington, DC. Available from: http://www.healthypeople.

gov/2020/default.aspx [accessed August 2013].
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 133 ■ October 2013

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

3311 Toledo Road, Room 5419

Hyattsville, MD 20782

OFFICIAL BUSINESS 

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300

FIRST CLASS MAIL 

POSTAGE & FEES PAID 

CDC/NCHS

PERMIT NO. G-284

7. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; CDC. Million Hearts 

Initiative. Available from: http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/index.html [accessed 

September 2013].

8. Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, Cushman WC, Green LA, Izzo JL 

Jr, et al. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, 

Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: The JNC 7 

report. JAMA 289(19):2560–72. 2003.

9. National High Blood Pressure Education Program. Program description. 

Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung and Blood 

Institute. 2013. Available from: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/nhbpep/

nhbp_pd.htm.

10. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey (NHANES) examination manuals (2009–2010, 2011–

2012). Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/nhanes2011-2012/

current_nhanes_11_12.htm [accessed June 2013].

11. Klein RJ, Schoenborn CA. Age adjustment using the 2000 projected U.S. 

population. Healthy People 2010 Statistical Notes, no 20. Hyattsville, MD: 

National Center for Health Statistics. 2001. Available from: http://www.cdc.

gov/nchs/data/statnt/statnt20.pdf.

12. Crim MT, Yoon SS, Ortiz E, Wall HK, Schober S, Gillespie C, et al. 

National	surveillance	definitions	for	hypertension	prevalence	and	control	

among adults. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 5(3):343–51. 2012.

Suggested citation

Nwankwo T, Yoon SS, Burt V, Gu Q. 

Hypertension among adults in the 

United States: National Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey, 2011–2012. NCHS 

data brief, no 133. Hyattsville, MD: National 

Center for Health Statistics. 2013.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., Acting Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Health and Nutrition

Examination Surveys

Kathryn S. Porter, M.D., M.S., Director

For e-mail updates on NCHS publication 

releases, subscribe online at: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/govdelivery.htm.

For questions or general information

about NCHS:

Tel: 1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636)

TTY: 1–888–232–6348

Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs

Online request form: http://www.cdc.gov/

cdc-info/requestform.html

ISSN 1941–4927 Print ed.

ISSN 1941–4935 Online ed.

DHHS Publication No. 2014–1209

CS243614