Hypertension affects 1.4 billion people worldwide | Only 1 in 5 have it under control

In September 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its second Global report on hypertension 2025. Based on data from 195 countries and territories, it estimates the spread of hypertension and the extent to which diagnosis, treatment, and management are reaching people.

1 in 3 people aged 30 to 79

According to the WHO fact sheet, as of 2024, an estimated 1.4 billion adults aged 30 to 79 had hypertension, accounting for 33% of this age group. WHO defines hypertension as blood pressure of 140/90mmHg or higher, among other criteria. The figure was said to be 650 million in 1990, and much of the increase has occurred in low- and middle-income countries, where two-thirds of people with hypertension live.

Breakdown of the 1.4 billion people (WHO estimate, 2024)
・People unaware that they have hypertension: about 600 million (44%)
・People diagnosed and receiving treatment: about 630 million (44%)
・People whose blood pressure is controlled: about 320 million (23%)

In other words, only a little over 1 in 5 people with hypertension have their blood pressure controlled within the target range. The report found that in 99 of the 195 countries and territories, the control rate was below 20%.

Differences in access to healthcare

What the report repeatedly points out is the difference by a country’s income level. Among high-income countries, 93% said that all WHO-recommended antihypertensive medicines were generally available, compared with only 28% of low-income countries.

On the economic side, the report estimates that cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, will cause losses of a cumulative US$3.7 trillion from 2011 to 2025 in low- and middle-income countries, equivalent to about 2% of these countries’ GDP. At the same time, examples of efforts are introduced, including South Korea’s control rate reaching 59% in 2022 and the control rate rising from 15% to 56% between 2019 and 2025 in some areas of Bangladesh.

WHO is calling on countries to build systems that allow people to receive diagnosis and ongoing treatment through community-based primary care. Looking at the numbers, the challenges seem to lie in two stages: “not knowing” and “not being connected to treatment.” For global statistics on salt intake, see our article stating that global salt intake is more than twice the WHO target introduced here.

Reference: World Health Organization (WHO)

※This article introduces statistics and system information published by public institutions and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any specific disease. If you have health concerns, please consult a medical institution.

—The Value Village Editorial Team