Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, but control is slipping

Federal data show that about 120 million American adults have high blood pressure, yet only about 22.5% have it under control. The gap is getting wider, and health groups say more diagnosis, treatment and day-to-day management are needed.

Why it matters: - High blood pressure affects about 48% of U.S. adults, or roughly 120 million people. - Only about 22.5% of adults with high blood pressure have it under control. - About 34 million adults are recommended blood pressure medication but are not currently being treated. - The condition often has no symptoms, which helps explain why many cases go unmanaged.

What happened: - Elaré highlighted federal and American Heart Association data showing that blood pressure control is slipping. - The American Heart Association says control among adults with hypertension fell from about 53.8% in 2013-2014 to about 48.2% in 2017-2022. - The latest national survey data put the share of adults with controlled blood pressure closer to 1 in 5. - Elaré is a Miami-based brand known for odorless aged garlic.

The details: - Public health messaging focuses on knowing blood pressure numbers and working with a doctor on a treatment plan. - Lifestyle approaches discussed in cardiovascular wellness include DASH-style eating, regular movement and common foods studied for heart health. - Aged garlic extract is the most studied form of garlic in this area. - Raw garlic gets its sharp smell from allicin, an unstable and poorly absorbed compound. - Aging garlic for many months in a water-and-alcohol solution reduces odor-causing compounds and produces S-allyl-cysteine, or SAC, a stable, water-soluble compound used as a standardized marker. - Several small randomized trials of aged garlic extract have reported modest reductions in blood pressure versus placebo among people with elevated readings, by a few millimeters of mercury when pooled. - The trials are small, many used a single maker-funded extract, and the effect appears only in people with elevated readings. - No study has shown that aged garlic prevents heart attacks or strokes. - Aged garlic is not a substitute for prescribed blood pressure medication. - People taking blood pressure medication, blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs, or preparing for surgery, should talk with a doctor or pharmacist before using garlic in any form.

Between the lines: - The biggest problem is not just treatment options. It is that many adults are never diagnosed or never treated in the first place. - Interest in older, doctor-guided habits appears to be growing among adults over 50 who want a more active role in managing heart health. - Elaré is using the blood-pressure gap to draw attention to its odorless aged garlic product, but the underlying evidence still supports garlic as a possible add-on, not a proven replacement for medical care.

What's next: - More emphasis is likely to fall on screening, diagnosis and adherence to treatment plans. - People interested in garlic-based supplements are likely to keep hearing the same caution: use them only as part of doctor-guided care. - Elaré is positioning its once-daily Elaré Odorless Aged Garlic Extract as an easy-to-use option for adults looking to add aged garlic to a routine.

The bottom line: - The U.S. has a massive blood pressure control problem, and the gap is worsening. - Garlic may play a small supporting role for some people, but diagnosis, medication and medical follow-up remain the main tools for lowering risk.