World Hypertension Day - 17 May 2021

World Hypertension Day aims to help combat low awareness rates, especially in low- and middle-income areas, and promote a greater understanding of accurate blood pressure measurement methods.

This year's theme is focused on awareness and accurate measurement because those are two areas that need attention. Hypertension is a major cause of premature death. Approximately 1.13 billion people worldwide suffer from hypertension. Two-thirds of these people live in low- and middle-income countries. Fewer than 1 in 5 people with hypertension have the problem under control. Less than 50% of adults with hypertension worldwide were aware that they had high blood pressure. In most regions of the world, awareness is very low - as low as 10%.

That is why the World Hypertension League, in collaboration with the International Society of Hypertension and the World Health Organization, are committed to increasing awareness of hypertension through two key strategies: