The number and percentage of patients treated at emergency departments for hypertension are on the rise across the United States, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study published recently in the American Journal of Cardiology.

According to the authors, the increase may be related to the increasing prevalence of hypertension in the general population and greater public and clinician awareness of the disease.

In addition, the number of patients visiting emergency departments primarily to be treated for hypertension is on the rise – about 6.4 million emergency department visits were identified involving patients seeking care for hypertension-related issues.

These findings may serve to make health care providers more aware of hypertension-related issues, and it highlights the burden of hypertension among patients who seek emergency department care.