Hypertension kills 10 million annually, WHO warns
Global report shows only one in five cases are under control, with nearly one in three Nigerians now living with high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, often called the “silent killer,” is now one of the biggest threats to global health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that uncontrolled hypertension is responsible for more than 10 million deaths annually, making it a leading driver of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and even dementia.
In its second Global Hypertension Report, released during the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, WHO said more than 1.4 billion people worldwide lived with hypertension in 2024, but only one in five had their condition under control.
The report, co-hosted with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Resolve to Save Lives, highlighted the devastating cost of inaction: between 2011 and 2025, cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, are projected to drain US$3.7 trillion from low- and middle-income economies, about 2 percent of their GDP.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus described the trend as tragic but preventable. “Every hour, more than 1,000 lives are lost to strokes and heart attacks from high blood pressure, and most of these deaths are preventable. 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,” he said.
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The report paints a troubling picture of inequality. Only 28 percent of low-income countries report that all WHO-recommended hypertension medicines are available in pharmacies or primary health facilities, compared to 93 percent in high-income countries. Major gaps persist in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. Weak health policies on alcohol, tobacco, salt and trans fats, limited access to blood pressure devices, poor treatment protocols, costly medicines, and unreliable supply chains all contribute to the crisis.
Dr Kelly Henning of Bloomberg Philanthropies noted that, “Countries that integrate hypertension care into universal health coverage and primary care are making real progress, but too many low- and middle-income countries are still left behind.” Dr Tom Frieden, President of Resolve to Save Lives, added: “Safe, effective, low-cost medicines to control blood pressure exist, but far too many people can’t get them. Closing that gap will save lives and save billions of dollars every year.”
The report does highlight progress elsewhere. Bangladesh increased hypertension control from 15 per cent to 56 per cent in some regions between 2019 and 2025 through targeted primary care. The Philippines rolled out WHO’s HEARTS technical package nationwide. South Korea achieved 59 percent control by reducing drug costs and limiting patient fees.
But while these examples show what is possible, Nigeria’s reality is sobering. Recent studies estimate national hypertension prevalence at 28.9 percent, with some communities recording figures above 32 percent. Among clinical undergraduates, researchers reported a 19 percent prevalence of rising pre-hypertension in younger age groups. Yet awareness and control remain dismally low: only about 29 percent of Nigerians with hypertension know their status, 12 percent receive treatment, and fewer than 3 percent have their blood pressure under control.
This gap between prevalence and treatment has deadly consequences. Analysts say Nigeria mirrors many of the barriers WHO flagged: inconsistent drug supply, weak health education, urban stress, dietary shifts, and health system underfunding. The result is a surge of preventable deaths from strokes and heart failure, often among people in their most productive years.
For WHO, the message is clear: unless countries like Nigeria embed hypertension control into universal health coverage reforms and strengthen primary healthcare, the economic and social toll will keep rising. For Nigeria, that means expanding screening, training health workers, securing medicine supply chains, and tackling lifestyle risk factors before the silent killer claims millions more lives.
