Less than half (47%) of adults with hypertension are aware of their condition
One out of three adults in the world has hypertension
Hypertension is the leading risk factor for death and disability worldwide
A healthy diet and moderate exercise has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure significantly
A 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure reduces the risk of major cardiovascular diseases by approximately 30%
Why is hypertension important?
The answer is simple, hypertension (high blood pressure) is the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. More than 10 million individuals die every year due to hypertension.
What do we do?
We are committed to improving global hypertension prevention, screening, diagnosis, and management. Our main activities include building the evidence and developing educational materials in collaboration with partners from many countries (see map at right).
Latest Updates
OK Study―No incident hyperkalemia observed after initiating fixed-dose combination pills of telmisartan and amlodipine
Our team collaborated with the National Heart Foundation in Bangladesh to conduct a study examining the prevalence and incidence of hyperkalemia in patients with hypertension treated with fixed-dose combination pills of telmisartan and amlodipine. Our study found that the incidence of this condition is rare (no incident cases of elevation K >5.5 over a few months). Our study has implications on the need of blood tests to monitor this condition, an important barrier to use fixed-dose combination pills in resource-limited settings.
“Dyskalemia prior to and after initiation of a fixed dose combination of telmisartan and amlodipine in adults with hypertension in Bangladesh”. Global Heart.
Frontline of Front-of-Package Label (FoPL) research: Workshops in Nigeria
Monica Pasqualino and Megan E. Henry, Johns Hopkins University faculty, participated in a research and planning workshop hosted by Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) in Abuja, Nigeria in April 2025. During the visit, Dr. Henry also presented at a capacity-strengthening workshop held by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Dr. Pasqualino led an additional 2-day workshop with NPHD, our Nigerian partner for Front-of-Package Label (FoPL) research.
Tax on packaged foods high in sodium or sugar cuts the risk of cardiovascular disease
We published a study estimating the health and economic impact of a tax on packaged foods high in sodium or sugar in the Philippines. Using a multiple-cohort, proportional, multistate life table model, we found that a 20% tax on packaged foods high in sodium or sugar could prevent ~2,800 deaths and ~41,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus over 20 years, while generating USD ~46 million in healthcare cost savings, USD ~13 billion in tax revenue, and USD ~250 million in implementation costs. The tax was projected to be cost-effective from an extended healthcare perspective and highly cost-saving from a government perspective. The concentration of health gains in middle-income groups, and the smallest gains among the wealthiest, suggest the policy could help reduce health inequalities. “Estimated health impact, cost, and cost-effectiveness of taxation on unhealthy packaged foods in the Philippines: a modelling study”