AANP Applauds Surgeon General's Action Plan for Hypertension Control
Administration Calls for Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Teams to Practice at Top of Profession
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP), the largest organization for NPs of all specialties, joins with the U.S. Surgeon General in urging the nation to make hypertension control a priority. With 1 out of 2 adults diagnosed with hypertension, and only 1 in 4 maintaining adequate hypertension control, health professionals and patients must work together to improve outcomes and prevent the costly, devastating impacts of this disease — from heart disease and stroke to cognitive decline, kidney disease and dementia.
“We thank the Surgeon General for focusing our nation on helping patients with hypertension achieve blood pressure control. This silent killer doesn’t just take lives, it undermines the quality of life for millions of patients and drives as much as $198 billion in health care costs each year,” said AANP President Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP. “Better health care access can play a significant role in combating the challenge we face, and AANP stands with the Surgeon General in calling for NPs and all members of the health care team to work at the top of their profession and expand access to care for hypertensive patients.”
AANP is committed to working with policymakers, communities, health professionals and health systems to advance the strategies outlined in the Surgeon General’s report,including addressing health care disparities that undermine blood pressure control — from access to high-quality health care and nutritious food to safe spaces for exercise — and empowering and equipping patients as the head of their health care team.
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The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 290,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org. For COVID-19 information from AANP, visit aanp.org/COVID19.