Researchers at Oxford Population Health analyzed blood pressure measurements collected through Our Future Health, the UK's largest health research program, from people who joined between 2022 and 2025. Using WHO criteria—systolic pressure at or above 140 mmHg, diastolic at or above 90 mmHg, or current use of blood pressure–lowering medication—they classified more than a third (37%) of participants as having hypertension.
The findings show a striking gap in awareness and control. Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) of those with hypertension had never been diagnosed and were not on medication. Among those already taking one or more blood pressure drugs, half still had readings at or above the 140/90 threshold. The authors argue that current NICE guidelines, which require repeated readings and lifestyle changes before medication in some cases, may be leaving many people undetected or undertreated.
The study's lead author called the current approach "not fit for purpose," noting that even younger adults had substantial rates of hypertension. Another researcher and a British Heart Foundation spokesman both urged a more proactive strategy, including wider blood pressure checks and treatment decisions based on overall cardiovascular risk rather than blood pressure alone. They said such changes could help tens of thousands avoid preventable heart attacks and strokes.