Abstract
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Gaining and maintaining control of hypertension is critical in preventing or prolonging the onset of cardiovascular disease. Indeed, many control measures have been described, including medications, for those with hypertension. Such medications are indicated for Stage I hypertension (140/90 mmHg or higher). Cultivating a better understanding of such control measures may lead to the development of public health interventions designed to reduce the disease burden. The present study describes hypertension prevalence, hypertension medications use, and factors associated with taking medications, among adult respondents to the California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. The study results indicate that nearly one in four California adults is hypertensive, with differences observed by gender and race/ethnicity. Among individuals with hypertension, nearly two in three respondents report using hypertension medications, with females reporting use more than males and those of “other” race/ethnicity reporting use more than the other groups. Factors associated with such use include the following: multiple hypertension diagnoses, a physician visit within the past year; diabetes; non-smoker status; less-than-high-school education; and health insurance. Understanding these factors may inform the development of strategies to increase medication use among those with hypertension.