The World Health Organization (WHO), in its second global hypertension report, said that 1.4 billion people lived with hypertension in 2024, but just over one in five in five have it under control, either through medicines or address modifiable health risks.
The new report, which was revealed in a co-elanphitrion event by WHO, Bloomberg philanthropies, and resolve to save lives during the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations, also said that only 28 % of low-income countries report that all hypertension medications recommended by WHO are generally available in their pharmacies or primary care facilities.
Hypertension is a main cause of heart attack, stroke, chronic renal disease and dementia. It is preventable and treatable, but without urgent actions, millions of people will continue to die prematurely, and countries will face growing economic losses.
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Data analysis from 195 countries and territories shows that 99 of them have national hypertension control rates below 20 percent. Most affected people live in low and medium -sized countries, where health systems face resources limitations.
The Keys Barreras report for the prevention of hypertension, diagnosis, treatment and long -term care, including weak health promotion policies at risk factors such as alcohol, tobacco consumption, physical inactivity, salt and trans fats.
Others have limited access to validated blood pressure devices, lack of standardized treatment protocols and trained primary care equipment, unreliable supply chains and expensive medicines, inadequate financial protection for patients and insufficient information systems to monitor trends.
From 2011 to 2025, it is projected that cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, cost approximately US $ 3.7 billion, equivalent to 2 percent of their combined GDP.
The CEO of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared that “every hour, more than 1000 lives are lost by strokes and heart attacks of high blood pressure, and most of these deaths can be prevented.”
According to Dr. Ghebreyesus, “countries have the tools to change this narrative. With political will, continuous investment and reforms to incorporate hypertension control in health services, we can save millions and guarantee universal health coverage for all.”
In a comment, Dr. Kelly Henning, who directs the public health program of Bloomberg philanthropies, declared that the high -controlled high blood pressure affirms more than 10 million lives every year, despite being preventable and treatable.
According to Dr. Henning, the countries that integrate the care of hypertension in universal health coverage and primary care are making real progress, but too many low and medium -income countries still remain.
He added: “Strong policies that create awareness and expand access to treatment are critical to reduce cardiovascular disease and preventable deaths.”
Who calls all countries to embed the control of hypertension in their universal health coverage reforms. The implementation of the recommended measures in the report could avoid millions of premature deaths and alleviate the mass social and economic cost of high -controlled high blood pressure.
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