Canada’s hypertension control rate falls to lowest level in decades

New research in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology shows Canada’s hypertension control rate has dropped sharply since the pandemic, putting millions more Canadians at risk of stroke, heart disease and other complications. Hypertension Canada is urging governments and health systems to expand screening, adopt proven care models and invest in team-based treatment.

Why it matters: - Canada’s hypertension control rate has fallen to near the global average, reversing years of progress. - The decline raises the risk of stroke, heart disease, disability, hospitalization and premature death. - The trend affects millions of Canadians and is largely preventable.

What happened: - A study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found Canada’s hypertension control rate dropped 13 percentage points after the COVID-19 pandemic. - The analysis used Canadian Health Measures Survey Cycle 7 data from 2022 to 2024. - Hypertension Canada called on governments and health systems to act.

The details: - Hypertension prevalence rose from 22.0% in 2018-2019 to 27.7% in 2022-2024. - More than 6 million people were diagnosed with hypertension by 2022. - The study estimates 4.4 million to 5 million Canadian adults are living with hypertension based on CHMS data, which excludes institutionalized and remote populations. - Treated and controlled hypertension fell from 55.7% to 42.7%. - About 2.7 million to 2.8 million Canadians with hypertension do not have adequately controlled blood pressure. - Men saw a larger absolute rise in prevalence, from 24.2% to 31.7%. - Among adults ages 20 to 39, hypertension prevalence more than tripled from 2.6% to 8.0%, a relative increase of 207.7%. - Control rates are especially low among women at 35.0% and adults under 60 at 35.5%. - Canada now sits near the global average of 40% control, while control is improving across most high-income countries. - The pandemic disrupted primary care access and coincided with rising obesity, diabetes, poorer diets, higher sodium intake, lower potassium intake and more alcohol use.

Between the lines: - The data suggest Canada’s cardiovascular prevention system lost ground while other countries kept improving. - The sharp rise among younger adults points to a longer-term burden on the health system if treatment gaps persist. - Hypertension Canada says the tools to reverse the trend already exist, so the main barrier is implementation.

What’s next: - Hypertension Canada wants governments to expand blood pressure screening beyond routine primary care visits. - The group is urging health systems to implement the World Health Organization’s HEARTS package in primary care. - Hypertension Canada says WHO HEARTS-aligned programs can return up to $18 in health system savings for every $1 invested. - The group also wants more interdisciplinary care, including pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners. - Hypertension Canada says 20% to 25% of Canadians are unattached to a primary care provider, making task-sharing more urgent. - Hypertension Canada is leading a task force to coordinate the response.

The bottom line: - Canada’s hypertension setback is a public health warning sign, and reversing it will require faster screening, stronger primary care and broader use of team-based care.