Is this because we more readily prescribe drugs?

High blood pressure is controlled better in the United States than in five Western European countries, a study found, and researchers credit American doctors’ more aggressive prescribing of drugs.

The researchers pointed proudly to the findings, saying that the U.S. strategy of prescribing more pills earlier probably saves money overall by preventing heart attacks and strokes . . .

. . . The researchers looked at doctors’ reports on more than 21,000 patients treated for hypertension. They found that post-treatment blood pressure was 134 over 79 on average in the United States; 139/80 in France; 141/83 in Germany; 143/84 in Italy; 141/83 in Spain; and 144/82 in Britain.