Tackling hypertension at the primary health level key to reducing preventable deaths

Washington D.C. 16 May 2025 (PAHO) – While countries of the Americas continue to make progress towards the prevention and control of hypertension, on the eve of World Hypertension Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) calls for more to be done at the primary health care level to tackle this principal risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Hypertension is a common condition which affects over 35% of people aged 30-79 years in the Americas. It is the leading risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, which together cause more than 2.2 million deaths each year in the Region. It is also a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease, dementia, and complications of diabetes.

“This high level of il-health and death caused by hypertension is unacceptable because it can be prevented,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director. ’Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, avoiding harmful use of alcohol, limiting intake of ultra processed food products and exercising, are all highly beneficial to health’.

Policymakers also play a crucial role in prevention, including through the implementation of policies to promote physical activity and healthy eating, such as salt reduction in foods and front-of-package labelling to enable consumers to make healthier choices.

However, as well as focusing on prevention, the PAHO Director underscored that countries must also ensure that people have better access to diagnosis and treatment, which will involve the equitable expansion of services at the primary health care level. 

In the Region of the Americas, up to four in ten adults have hypertension, yet one-third are unaware that they have the condition. Of those who are aware, only 80% receive treatment and just 60% of those receiving treatment have controlled hypertension.

To address this, PAHO’s HEARTS initiative, which is a comprehensive program that focuses on improving the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases, supports countries to improve hypertension control and CVD risk management, at the primary care level.

Currently, 33 countries in the Americas have committed to implementing HEARTS, with 7,158 primary health care facilities reaching 37 million adults — 5.7 million of whom are receiving treatment. “HEARTS works and is our key strategy to reduce preventable deaths related to cardiovascular diseases and strengthen primary health care,” added the PAHO Director.

“We have made great progress, with HEARTS being available in more than 80% of primary health care facilities in 10 countries. However, we need to ensure that everyone receives high-quality care, no matter where they live,” he said.

Challenges to full implementation include limited access to clinically validated automatic blood pressure devices in clinical settings and the low availability of high-quality medicines to reduce blood pressure. PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds, a pooled procurement mechanism that enables countries of the Americas to access quality vaccines, essential medicines, and public health supplies at affordable prices in a timely and transparent manner, is crucial to addressing these issues.

The Funds offer clinically validated blood pressure devices, quality-assured antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering medicines at competitive prices and work with countries to ensure demand-planning to facilitate the continuous access of hypertension care and technologies at the primary health care level.

PAHO’s Better Care for Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) initiative, launched in 2023, aims to facilitate access to quality NCD services within primary health care systems, expanding prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for other chronic conditions, building upon existing efforts such as HEARTS.

“This World Hypertension Day, make hypertension control a top priority. Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, and live longer,” concluded the PAHO Director.

World Hypertension DayWorld Hypertension Day is observed every May 17 in order to raise awareness and promote hypertension prevention, detection and control.