About a third of Americans now have high blood pressure, and nearly two-thirds of those take drugs to control it, according to a new survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our new blood pressure monitor Ratings can help you see if you are one of those 68 million Americans with hypertension. And if you are, our Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs report on high blood pressure drugs can help you get the right medication.
Our latest tests of blood pressure monitors found six recommended models, ranging from $60 to $100. But shop around for the best price. And check to see whether a monitor is covered by your health insurance--it just might be.
Even if you don't have high blood pressure, it's important to take steps to keep it under control since it tends to get higher with age. Start with lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure like losing excess weight and cutting back on salt. If those measures don't help sufficiently, drugs usually can. But be vigilant because our latest Best Buy Drugs report on high blood pressure drugs found that some doctors start with newer, heavily advertised drugs when a much less expensive class of medication--diuretics--are at least as safe and effective.
