If you never want to know anything else about blood pressure, know this.

• High blood pressure and its complications cost the U.S. economy more than $100 billion each year.
• African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure than any other racial or ethnic group and tend to develop it earlier and more severely than others.
• High blood pressure is a factor in 67 percent of heart attacks in the United States.
• 122 million American adults are overweight or obese which increases their chances of developing high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure precedes 74 percent of cases of heart failure in the United States.
• More than 65 million American adults — 1 in 3 — have high blood pressure
• High blood pressure is the second leading cause of chronic kidney failure in the United States—responsible for 26 percent of all cases.
• High blood pressure affects circulation—creating a higher risk for mental deterioration and Alzheimer's.

• High blood pressure is a factor in 77 percent of strokes—the #3 cause of death in the United States.
• Nearly 60 million Americans are over age 55 which means they have a 90 percent likelihood of developing high blood pressure in their lifetimes.

• High blood pressure can lead to numerous other life-threatening conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, the #1, #3, and #9 causes of death in the United States.
• High blood pressure causes more visits to doctors than any other condition—just a 10 percent decline in the number of visits would save $478 million each year.
• 18 million Americans have diabetes which increases their chances of developing high blood pressure.