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NewsA major UK study found that nearly 6 in 10 adults with high blood pressure have never been diagnosed or treated — and among those already on medication, half still have dangerously elevated readings. Researchers from Oxford say current detection and treatment guidelines aren't working, and are calling for a more proactive, population-wide approach to catching hypertension before it triggers heart attacks and strokes.
A large-scale study from Oxford Population Health has revealed a troubling gap in how the UK detects and manages hypertension. Analyzing blood pressure data from participants in Our Future Health — the UK's largest health research program — researchers found that over a third of adults (37%) met the criteria for high blood pressure. Yet nearly 6 in 10 of them had no idea.
The problem doesn't stop at diagnosis. Among people already taking blood pressure-lowering medication, half still had readings at or above 140/90 mmHg — the threshold for hypertension. Researchers point to current NICE guidelines as part of the issue, arguing that requiring multiple measurements before diagnosis and recommending lifestyle changes before medication can delay effective treatment.
Why it matters: High blood pressure is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, linked to roughly half of all heart attacks and strokes in the UK. Better detection and treatment strategies could prevent tens of thousands of preventable deaths each year.
