St. Joseph’s Health is Nationally Recognized for Efforts to Improve Blood Pressure Control

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— St. Joseph’s Health has once again been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning Gold Plus-level recognition as part of Target: BP™.

The Gold Plus award recognizes practices that demonstrate a commitment to measurement accuracy and in which high blood pressure is controlled in 70% or more of the affected adult patients.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and preventable death in the U.S. There are 121.5 million U.S. adults living with hypertension. The is nearly half of all adults in the country.[1] Unfortunately, less than half of them have their BP under control, making both diagnosis and effective management critical.[2] In the U.S., heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death, respectively, and stroke is a leading cause of disability.

“Addressing blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health – and critical today, when heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for adults in the U.S.,” said Dr. Russell Silverman, Director of the Heart Failure Clinic at the St. Joseph’s Health Cardiovascular Institute. “High blood pressure is a leading risk factor of heart disease and stroke that can often be prevented or managed if diagnosed and treated properly.”

Target: BP is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. The initiative aims to help health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations, like St. Joseph’s Health that are committed to improving blood pressure control.

“By committing to helping more people in Syracuse control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, St. Joseph’s Health is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, MHS, RN, FAHA, Target: BP advisory group volunteer and associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “St. Joseph’s Health’s participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”

Learn more at TargetBP.org.

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