Hypertension study in England finds high rates of undiagnosed cases

A study of approximately 1.4 million adults in England has revealed that more than one-third of participants suffer from hypertension, with a significant portion remaining unaware of their condition.

Researchers from Oxford Population Health, using data from the Our Future Health program, applied World Health Organization criteria to identify hypertension. The study found that 37% of adults met the criteria, with prevalence increasing significantly with age—from 15% in those aged 18 to 39, to 71% in those aged 80 or older. The condition was notably more common in men, affecting 42% compared to 29% of women after age standardization.

A critical finding of the research is the lack of diagnosis and control. Approximately 59% of those with hypertension had never been diagnosed and were not using medication. Furthermore, even among individuals already receiving treatment, 50% continued to have blood pressure readings of 140/90 mmHg or higher, indicating that current management strategies may be insufficient.