England study finds 59% of participants with hypertension were undiagnosed

Researchers at Oxford Population Health examined clinic blood pressure readings from adults in England who joined Our Future Health between 2022 and 2025. The observational study, reported in BMJ Public Health, assessed hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control. Hypertension was defined as systolic pressure ≥140 mmHg, diastolic pressure ≥90 mmHg, or use of blood pressure-lowering medication. The supplied report did not specify the sample size.

Overall, 37% of participants met this definition. Prevalence ranged from 15% among adults aged 18–39 years to 71% among those aged 80 years or older. Age-standardized prevalence was 42% in men and 29% in women. Among participants with hypertension, 59% had never been diagnosed and were not receiving antihypertensive medication. Among those taking medication, 50% still had readings at or above the study’s blood pressure threshold.

The authors called for more proactive detection and consideration of predicted cardiovascular risk alongside blood pressure when initiating treatment. They questioned whether current diagnostic and treatment pathways contribute to gaps in care. However, this observational analysis does not establish that NICE guidance caused these gaps or that changing it would improve outcomes. The university-provided account does not detail measurement protocols or population representativeness; elevated clinic readings should be distinguished from a confirmed clinical diagnosis.