University of California Irvine earns national recognition for commitment to improve high blood pressure

The American Heart Association and the American Medical Association announce the 2019 list of physician practices and health systems receiving a Target: BP™ Recognition Award for their commitment to prioritize blood pressure control within the communities they serve

Orange, California, September 18th, 2019 — University of California Irvine is pleased to be recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) as a leader in the national effort to get patient blood pressure rates under control and reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes each year.

As part of the 2019 Target: BP Recognition Program, AHA and AMA celebrated University of California Irvine as one of 1,183 physician practices and health systems recognized nationwide for their commitment to help patients improve blood pressure control.

Launched in 2015, Target: BP™ is a national initiative between the AHA and AMA aimed at addressing the growing burden of high blood pressure in the U.S. The initiative aims to help health care organizations improve blood pressure control rates through use of the AMA’s evidence-based M.A.P. quality improvement program, and recognizes organizations committed to improving blood pressure control. This year’s Recognition Program recognized organizations representing 29.8 million adult patients, with more than 8 million patients diagnosed with hypertension, across 46 states and territories.

“High blood pressure is one of the most well-known diseases and has been an ongoing, chronic, and persistent public health problem. Given the silent nature of the disease, many people live with unrecognized high blood pressure, and even those who are known to have high blood pressure have uncontrolled high blood pressure. It is time, in urgency, to spread out, promote, and put forward knowledge, recognition, and access to high blood pressure management in our Orange County, California,” said Dr. Ekamol Tantisattamo, one of the transplant nephrologists at the University of California Irvine.

There are 116 million U.S. adults living with high blood pressure, the nation’s number one risk factor for heart attack and stroke, and less than half have it controlled to target level. Many patients are unaware of the deadly consequences associated with high blood pressure and that it can be managed working in partnership with their physician to create and follow a treatment plan.

“Although we have the tools to treat high blood pressure, many patients face a variety of barriers that make it difficult to successfully manage the condition. That’s why the American Heart Association and American Medical Association created the Target: BP initiative—to bring patients and providers together to successfully get blood pressure under control,” said AMA President Patrice A. Harris, M.D., M.A. “We applaud the physicians who are already working hard to control their patients’ blood pressure, and we will continue to urge more physician practices, health systems and patients to join this effort to prioritize the rising risk of high blood pressure and improve health outcomes for patients across the nation.”

"Collaboration is key to managing high blood pressure," said AHA President Robert Harrington, MD, FAHA. "When doctors, clinics, patients and organizations like the American Heart Association and American Medical Association are all working towards the same goal, we have the opportunity for great success. We are pleased to be a part of the success of so many practices – and so many patients – in reducing high blood pressure and improving health."

University of California Irvine, along with all other practices and health systems being recognized, will be featured in upcoming Target: BP materials. This includes appearing on TargetBP.org, and acknowledged at AMA and AHA events throughout the year.

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