Only half of people being treated by a GP for high blood pressure in England have it under control, and millions more are completely unaware they have the “silent killer” condition, research reveals.
Most people with hypertension (59%) are in the dark and undiagnosed, raising their risk of stroke, heart attack and early death, according to the largest ever study of its kind.
Even among those who are diagnosed and receiving medication via their family doctor, in 50% of cases their blood pressure is out of control, the Oxford University study of 1.4 million adults suggests.
Researchers said the findings, published in journal BMJ Public Health, suggested the current approach to detecting and treating high blood pressure in England was “not fit for purpose”.
Wenyu Liu, a medical statistician at Oxford Population Health and lead author of the study, said: “While hypertension is largely a ‘silent killer’, the current approach to detecting and treating high blood pressure is not fit for purpose.
“Our study highlights the prevalence of hypertension across demographics. This underscores the need for population-wide prevention strategies alongside targeted treatment for people at high cardiovascular risk.”
Source: The Guardian, 23 September 2026
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