A new report commissioned by the CDC advises policymakers to institute prevention programs and dedicate funds to combat high blood pressure.

"Hypertension as a disease is relatively easy to diagnose and it’s inexpensive to treat," the report committee’s chairman, Dr. David Fleming, told Reuters. "Yet despite that, one in six deaths in the U.S. is due to hypertension, and it costs our healthcare system $73 billion each year in expenses. In that context, hypertension is really a neglected disease in this country. There’s a huge gap between what we could do and what we are doing."

Among the ways the report committee suggested to lower the widespread occurrence of hypertension in the U.S. is to reduce the recommended daily intake of salt. Current guidelines suggest adults get no more than 2,300 milligrams, or about a teaspoon, of salt each day. Individuals with hypertension, middle-aged and older adults, and African-Americans, are advised to consume 1,500 milligrams each day.

As many as one out of every three American adults has hypertension.

According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure increases the risk for heart attack, angina, stroke, kidney failure and peripheral artery disease. In addition to lifestyle changes like weight loss and exercise, supplements containing potassium, calcium, fish oil, magnesium and garlic may help prevent it.