Indicator Gauge Icon Legend
Legend Colors
Red is bad, green is good, blue is not statistically different/neutral.
Compared to Distribution
the value is in the best half of communities.
the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.
the value is in the worst quarter of communities.
Compared to Target
meets target; 
does not meet target.
Compared to a Single Value
lower than the comparison value;
higher than the comparison value;
not statistically different from comparison value.
Trend
non-significant change over time; 
significant change over time; 
no change over time.
Compared to Prior Value
higher than the previous measurement period;
lower than the previous measurement period;
no statistically different change from previous measurement period.
Significantly better than the overall value
Significantly worse than the overall value
No significant difference with the overall value
No data on significance available
Hypertension: Medicare Population
This indicator is archived and is no longer being updated. Click to learn more
This indicator shows the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries who were treated for hypertension.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for persons aged 65 years or older, persons under age 65 years with certain disabilities, and persons of any age with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Why is this important?
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a significant increase in blood pressure in the arteries. Many people with hypertension may not experience symptoms, even if their blood pressure is dangerously high. However, a few might experience severe headaches, dizziness, irregular heartbeats, and other symptoms. Hypertension is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attacks, and if left untreated can lead to damage of the blood vessels and kidneys, vision loss, and angina. Many factors affect blood pressure, including salt intake, kidney health, and hormone levels. The risk for high blood pressure increases with obesity, diabetes, high salt intake, high stress levels, high alcohol intake, and tobacco use. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 3 adults have hypertension with only half of these individuals having their condition under control.
| County | Source | Measurement Period | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Data Source
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Maintained By: Conduent Healthy Communities Institute (Methodology)
Filed under: Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Health / Older Adults, Health Status, Adults, Older Adults, People with Disabilities