Target: BP initiative helps more than 10M adults with hypertension

(Press-News.org) DALLAS, September 15, 2025 — Nearly half of U.S. adults — 122.4 million people — are living with high blood pressure (BP), a leading preventable risk factor for heart disease, stroke and premature death, according to the 2025 American Heart Association Statistical Update. Yet just a quarter of them have their BP under control, making both diagnosis and effective management critical.

The American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, and American Medical Association (AMA) are recognizing 2,307 health care organizations — 495 more than in 2024 —  for tackling this public health challenge through the Target: BP™ initiative.

Target: BP™ is a national initiative launched in 2015 by the American Heart Association and AMA in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. Together, the associations:

leverage American Heart Association science and the evidence-based AMA MAP™ framework to help care teams organize their approach to providing evidence-based care; assist and support health care organizations to improve and sustain BP control with professional education, practice tools and resources, including support through the associations’ quality improvement programs; and recognize organizations annually with achievement awards celebrating commitment to improvement, adoption of evidence-based BP care and achieving BP control rates of 70% or greater among their patients. This year’s participating organizations span 49 states or U.S. territories and serve more than 38 million patients, including nearly 10.6 million people with hypertension. More than 40% of participating organizations are nonprofit health centers that receive federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to reach medically underserved populations.

Among those organizations recognized for their efforts, nearly 60% received Gold or Gold+ award level recognition for achieving BP control rates of greater than or equal to 70%. Approximately 37% of awardees achieved Silver or Silver+ recognition for adopting evidence-based activities. The remainder received Participation-level recognition for submitting data for the first time and committing to reducing the number of adult patients with uncontrolled BP.

“Hypertension is called the ‘silent killer’ for a reason — too often it goes unnoticed until serious damage is done, and it accounts for nearly $50 billion in annual health care costs in the U.S.,” said Stacey Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women’s health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health of Northwell Health in New York City. “Through programs like Target: BP, we’re seeing how health care organizations and care teams can work to close gaps in blood pressure control through patient awareness and education and improve overall well-being.”

Since the American Heart Association and AMA launched Target: BP™, more than 4,900 health care organizations have joined the nationwide movement to make heart health a priority. For the past five years, approximately 80% of participating organizations have continued their engagement year after year — reflecting a continuous commitment to improving BP and sharing a common goal to improve health outcomes associated with heart disease, the No. 1 killer in the U.S.

“We know hypertension control is possible when physicians, care teams and patients work together,” said AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D. “The Target: BP program provides physicians and care teams with the tools they need to effectively partner with patients and ensure all Americans have access to quality care, to manage their blood pressure.”

Learn more at TargetBP.org.

Additional Resources: 

Multimedia is available on the right column of release link. American Heart Association Outpace CVD™ New high blood pressure guideline emphasizes prevention, early treatment to reduce CVD risk | American Heart Association ###

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-242-8721

About the American Medical Association

The American Medical Association is the physician’s powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care. For more information, visit ama-assn.org.

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