The Silent Killer Inside One in Three People / How to Spot It

High blood pressure can remain symptom-free for years.

A study on one million and 400 thousand adults shows that more than one third of them have high blood pressure and nearly two thirds of them are unaware of their disease. High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because the symptoms are not obvious, but it damages the heart and brain. You may have high blood pressure, but you'll never know. And this ignorance is dangerous because high blood pressure is one of the most important factors of stroke, heart disease and premature death. High blood pressure increases with age.

Researchers at the University of Oxford analyzed blood pressure data from participants enrolled in the study between 2022 and 2025.

Blood pressure is measured with two numbers: the upper number and the lower number. Researchers defined high blood pressure as follows: If the upper number is 140 or more, or the lower number is 90 or more, the person has high blood pressure. Also, if someone takes blood pressure medicine, he is included in the group of high blood pressure patients.

The results showed that more than one third of the participants (37%) had high blood pressure. This ratio varied from 15% in adults aged 18 to 39 to 71% in people aged 80 and over; High blood pressure in men was almost 50% more than women; Among those affected, 59 percent had never been diagnosed with high blood pressure and were not taking medication; even among those taking blood pressure medication, 50 percent still had blood pressure of 90.140 or higher.

The authors of the study believe that the current approach to diagnosis and treatment of hypertension is not suitable, because it requires several measurements to confirm the diagnosis and recommends lifestyle changes before drug therapy. According to them, this approach causes many cases to never be properly diagnosed and thus not managed or treated.

"High blood pressure is mostly a silent killer," said Wenyu Liu, lead author of the study. That is, it does not have clear symptoms, but it damages the heart and brain. This problem is not limited to a specific group; It is significant in almost all demographic groups.

Better diagnosis can reduce cardiovascular risk

High blood pressure remains the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is linked to around half of all heart attacks and strokes, says Professor Bryan Williams, medical and scientific director of the British Heart Foundation. The disturbing fact is that millions of people are still living with this disease without knowing it.

He adds: Better diagnosis and treatment could help tens of thousands of people avoid preventable heart attacks and strokes, but to achieve this goal, we need to rethink how we identify, treat and support people at risk.

This large study shows that high blood pressure is very common, but many people are unaware of their condition or are not receiving appropriate treatment. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, but it can lead to stroke and heart disease. According to researchers, early diagnosis and effective treatment can save tens of thousands of lives. To achieve this goal, blood pressure screening should be available to everyone, even the youngest.