Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. High blood pressure is when readings consistently stay at or above 130/80. Blood pressure can change during the day, but levels that stay too high damage your arteries by making them less elastic. This decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your organs, including your heart, and increases the risk of serious health problems like heart and kidney disease.
Hypertension usually develops slowly and is often linked to lifestyle factors such as not getting enough physical activity and poor diet. Conditions like diabetes, obesity, stress, anxiety, and depression can raise risk, as can pregnancy, family history, and environment. Healthy lifestyle choices such as eating a healthy diet, being physically active, not smoking, and taking medications when needed can help prevent or manage hypertension.
In 2024, Black/African American adults were 26% more likely to have diagnosed hypertension than U.S. adults overall.
From 2017 to 2020, Black/African American adults with hypertension were 18% less likely to have their blood pressure under control than all U.S. adults with hypertension.
In 2022, Black/African Americans were 85% more likely than the U.S. population overall to die from essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease.
Adults ages 18 and over with hypertension, age-adjusted percentage, 2021–2023
Black*
Total Population
Ratio (Black* / Total)
58.0
44.5
1.30
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2024). QuickStats: Age-adjusted percentage of adults aged ≥18 years with hypertension, by sex and race and ethnicity - United States, August 2021-August 2023. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 73(48), 1110. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Adults ages 18 and over with hypertension, age-standardized percentage, 2021
Black*
Total Population
Ratio (Black* / Total)
40.2
30.1
1.34
Source: Sekkarie, A., Fang, J., Hayes, D., & Loustalot, F. (2024). Prevalence of self-reported hypertension and antihypertensive medication use among adults - United States, 2017-2021 (Table 1). MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73(9), 191–198. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Health Care Use
Adults ages 18 and over with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control, age-adjusted percentage, 2017–2020
Adults ages 18 and over with hypertension who were recommended treatment of prescription blood pressure medication and lifestyle modification, percentage, 2017–2020
Adults ages 18 and over with hypertension who use antihypertensive medication, age-standardized percentage, 2021
Black*
Total Population
Ratio (Black* / Total)
71.3
62.9
1.13
Source: Sekkarie, A., Fang, J., Hayes, D., & Loustalot, F. (2024). Prevalence of self-reported hypertension and antihypertensive medication use among adults - United States, 2017-2021 (Table 2). MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73(9), 191–198. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mortality
Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease mortality, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2022
Black*
Total Population
Ratio (Black* / Total)
Male
22.6
11.2
2.02
Female
16.4
9.4
1.74
Both Sexes
19.1
10.3
1.85
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Deaths: Final data for 2022 (National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 74, No. 4, Table 11). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
