A landmark study from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) reveals that high blood pressure cases have doubled since 1990, disproportionately impacting low- and middle-income countries.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood against artery walls is consistently too high. Typical readings range from 100-140 mmHg systolic (top number) and 60-80 mmHg diastolic (bottom number), with 120/80 considered normal. It often develops with age and is exacerbated by factors like diabetes, high-sodium diets, and physical inactivity. While symptomless, untreated hypertension strains the heart and vessels, raising risks of cardiovascular disease and kidney failure.
To gauge its global scope, NCD-RisC researchers—a renowned network tracking non-communicable disease risks—analyzed hypertension prevalence worldwide.
Published in The Lancet, their analysis drew from over 1,200 studies spanning 30 years across 184 countries, encompassing data from more than 100 million adults aged 30-79 representative of national populations. These insights modeled trends for 200 countries and territories.
In 2019, an estimated 1.27 billion adults aged 30-79 lived with hypertension—up from 650 million in 1990. Alarmingly, over half (roughly 720 million) receive no treatment.
Prevalence has plummeted in nations like the UK, Spain, Canada, and Switzerland since the 1990s, but surged in others, including Paraguay, Argentina, and Hungary. Over a billion cases cluster in low- and middle-income countries.
To curb this epidemic, experts call for targeted policies: promote healthier diets by curbing salt intake and boosting access to affordable fruits and vegetables; expand primary care, universal health coverage, and diagnostics; and ensure reliable access to proven medications.
