Medication and lifestyle changes are both essential treatments for hypertension or high blood pressure. However, a new study from the Annenberg Public Policy Center and the University of Pennsylvania suggests patients with high blood pressure are more likely to take their medications than change their lifestyle. This failure to follow through on medical advice is a big deal, since more than one hundred million of us in this country are affected by high blood pressure. Uncontrolled it can damage the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes. Authors say their work gives a better understanding of how to motivate people to engage in healthy lifestyle changes. The research letter is published in the American Heart Association journal, Hypertension.