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High blood pressure is improving gradually in the United States, with more than half of those with the condition now achieving reading below 140/90 millimeters of mercury, according to a new research. 

Researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2012 and concluded that: 

The percentage of patients with hypertension achieving optimal blood pressure (less than 120/80 mm Hg) rose from 13 percent to 27 percent.

- The percentage of patients attaining pre-hypertensive levels of blood pressure (between 120/80 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg) rose from 19 percent to 33 percent.

The data was gathered from interviews with 9,255 adults with high blood pressure, which was defined as the use of blood pressure medications or a reading of at least 140/90 mmHg. 

"This is definitely good news," researchers said in the press release, as increased hypertension control has reduced the numbers of heart attacks and strokes, and the number of deaths and hospitalizations due to heart disease.

The research was published in the journal Hypertension.