19th June 2026

Epidemiology

Hypertension is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease; it is the leading single contributor to all-cause mortality and disability worldwide. It affects more than 1 billion people and contributes to cardiovascular death more than any other risk factor globally. Certain ethnic groups are disproportionately affected, such as Black individuals, who are in turn more likely to experience complications. The World Health Organisation estimates that hypertension is responsible for nearly 7.5 million deaths worldwide. In the UK, the National Health Survey 2019 reported that hypertension affects approximately 1 in 4 adults and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. 

The following are recognised risk factors for hypertension:

• Age 
• Family history 
• Obesity 
• Physical inactivity 
• High salt intake 
• Alcohol consumption 
• Smoking 
• Stress 
• Diabetes 
• High cholesterol 
• Sleep apnoea