WHO Report on Hypertension Urges Urgent Action

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its Global Hypertension Report 2025, highlighting that 1.4 billion people worldwide live with hypertension. Alarmingly, only one in five individuals has their blood pressure under control. The report warns that uncontrolled hypertension is responsible for over 10 million preventable deaths annually, primarily due to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and dementia.

Experts stress that it is both preventable and treatable, but poor access to essential medicines and inadequate healthcare systems continue to fuel the crisis. If left unaddressed, low- and middle-income countries could face an estimated $3.7 trillion economic loss from cardiovascular diseases between 2011 and 2025.

Explore all Cardiology CME/CE Conferences and Online Courses

Global Barriers to Hypertension Control

The report, presented during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, analyzed data from 195 countries and found critical disparities in hypertension care:

• 99 countries have national hypertension control rates below 20%.
• Only 28% of low-income countries have all the WHO-recommended blood pressure medications readily available.
• Barriers include limited access to affordable medications, lack of standardized treatment protocols, weak policies addressing salt, tobacco use, and physical inactivity, and unreliable healthcare infrastructure.

“Safe, effective, low-cost medicines to control blood pressure exist, but far too many people can’t access them.” 

– Dr. Tom Frieden, President & CEO, Resolve to Save Lives.

WHO emphasizes the need for integrated care within universal health coverage (UHC), improved medicine supply chains, and stronger regulatory systems to close these gaps.

Success Stories in Hypertension Management

Several countries have successfully improved control through strategic interventions:

• Bangladesh increased hypertension control rates from 15% to 56% by strengthening screening and follow-up care.
• The Philippines expanded nationwide care using the WHO’s HEARTS technical package at the community level.
• South Korea achieved a 59% national control rate by reducing medication costs and lowering patient fees.

“Every hour, over 1000 lives are lost to strokes and heart attacks from high blood pressure, and most of these deaths are preventable. Countries have the tools to change this narrative. With political will, ongoing investment, and reforms to embed hypertension control in health services, we can save millions and ensure universal health coverage for all.”

-Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

WHO urges governments to embed hypertension services into primary care systems, improve public awareness, and prioritize lifestyle changes such as reduced salt intake, increased physical activity, and regular blood pressure screenings.

Source:

The World Health Organization