Study: Hypertension Hits Rich, Poor Nations Unevenly

GENEVA - A new study finds the number of people with hypertension has doubled over the last 30 years to 1.28 billion, mostly in developing countries.  

The study led by Imperial College London and the World Health Organization is the first comprehensive global analysis of trends in hypertension prevalence, detection, treatment and control. Data from more than 100 million people aged 30 to 79 in 184 countries showed that more than 700 million people with hypertension, a life-threatening illness, go untreated. Most do so because they are undiagnosed and do not know they have this condition. Bente Mikkelsen, director of WHO’s department of noncommunicable diseases, said lack of knowledge can have deadly consequences.