CDC Telebriefing: New Vital Signs Report - Poor blood-pressure control puts more than 5 million people at risk: How can health care systems help people take their medicine as directed?

What

According to the latest CDC Vital Signs report, about 70% of US adults age 65 or older have high blood pressure – but only about half have it under control (less than 140/90), putting them at risk of heart disease, stroke, and early death. The percentage of Medicare Part D enrollees not taking their blood pressure medicine is higher among certain racial/ethnic groups and there are geographic differences. Health care systems can take several important actions to help more people take their life-saving medicines as directed.

Who

CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.

When

Tuesday, September 13, at 12 p.m. ET

Dial In

Dial-In  

Media: 888-795-0855
Non-Media: 800-369-1605
INTERNATIONAL: 1-630-395-0331
PASSCODE: CDC Media

Important Instructions 
Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes before the start of the press conference. If you would like to ask a question during the call, press *1 on your touchtone phone. Press *2 to withdraw your question. You may queue up at any time. You will hear a tone to indicate your question is pending.

Transcript
A transcript of this media availability will be available following the briefing at CDC’s web site: www.cdc.gov/media.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES