In plain words
Hypertension is high blood pressure: the pressure in the blood vessels is too high. WHO puts the threshold at 140/90 mmHg or higher.
It is common and often has no symptoms. The only way to know is to have your blood pressure measured. Left untreated it can lead to kidney disease, heart disease and stroke.
Key facts
- WHO estimated 1.4 billion adults aged 30 to 79 had hypertension in 2024, about 33% of that age group.
- Two-thirds of them live in low- and middle-income countries.
- About 600 million (44%) did not know they had it, about 630 million (44%) were diagnosed and treated, and about 320 million (23%) had it under control.
Reading a blood pressure number
Two numbers are written. The first (systolic) is the pressure when the heart beats. The second (diastolic) is the pressure between beats. WHO says hypertension is diagnosed when readings on two different days are both at or above 140 systolic and/or 90 diastolic.
Risk factors
Modifiable: a high-salt diet, high saturated and trans fat, little fruit and vegetable, inactivity, tobacco, alcohol, overweight and obesity, and air pollution. Not modifiable: family history, age over 65, and co-existing diabetes or kidney disease.
Symptoms
Most people feel nothing. Very high pressure (usually 180/120 or higher) can cause severe headache, chest pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, confusion, nosebleeds or abnormal heart rhythm. With those symptoms and high pressure, seek care immediately.
Treatment, as WHO describes it
Lifestyle changes: a low-salt healthy diet, weight loss, activity, quitting tobacco. Some people also need medicines, chosen by their doctor. WHO gives a goal under 130/80 for people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease or high cardiovascular risk, and under 140/90 for most others. Common medicine classes include ACE inhibitors, which relax blood vessels.
Sources
- WHO fact sheet, Hypertension, published 25 September 2025, read 9 October 2026.
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026. Reviewer: none yet. This page is general education and is not medical advice. Figures are WHO's and may have been updated since.