Almost one in five younger adults in the United States has high blood pressure or hypertension, according to a new study.  

Only half of those adults, who were ages 24 to 32, have been told by a doctor that they have the disease. Many are unaware of their condition, said study researcher Dr. Eric Whitsel, an assistant professor in medicine and epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Doctors usually screen for hypertension during regular checkups, but “if people aren’t visiting health care professionals and aren’t measuring their blood pressure at home using inexpensive monitors, then they won't capture their illness," Whitsel told MyHealthNewsDaily.

Hypertension is often call the “silent killer” because many times there are no symptoms of the disease. Diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure are important because, if left untreated, it can lead to heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

For more information and tips on ways to keep high blood pressure from getting too high, click here.

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