Hypertension and human health:Evidence and prospects

High blood pressure is a major public health issue and a leading risk factor for death worldwide,with the number of attributable deaths increased from 6.8 million in 1990 to 10.8 million in 2019.1,2 According to the World Health Organization,the age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was estimated to be 33%,affecting approximately 1.3 billion adults aged 30–79 years in 2019 worldwide,doubling from 1990.3 In addition to the heavy disease burden,the economic burden associated with hypertension is also substantial,accounting for approximately 10%of the global healthcare expenditure.4 Furthermore,despite improvements in diagnostic and treatment capacities,the status of hypertension care remains suboptimal,especially in low-and middle-income countries.For instance,in China,in 2019,the awareness,treatment,and control rates of hypertension were 38.3%,34.6%,and 12.0%,respectively.5 Accumulating evidence calls for more comprehensive and effective prevention and management of hypertension.