Mumbai, November 4, 2026: One in every three adults in rural India suffers from hypertension, but only a small proportion is aware of the condition, highlighting a major gap in the detection and management of high blood pressure.
A study by Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), conducted among nearly 40,000 people in Maharashtra's Barshi, found that only 39% of patients taking medication had their blood pressure under control.
The study, published in the npj Cardiovascular Health journal, found that 31% of participants had hypertension. While only 6% were previously aware of their condition, another 25% had high blood pressure without knowing it. Awareness was particularly low among men, with only 14% knowing about their condition, compared to 21% of women.
Researchers from TMC's Centre for Cancer Epidemiology and the University of Oxford analysed health data collected between 2015 and 2020 under the Indian Study of Healthy Ageing (ISHA). The study covered people aged 30 to 69 years and assessed their blood pressure levels, previous diagnosis and use of medication.
Hypertension Prevalence Increases With Age
The prevalence of hypertension increased with age and was found to be as high as 50% among participants with a history of cardiovascular disease.
The study also highlighted significant gaps in hypertension management. Around 73% of those who were aware of their condition were taking blood pressure-lowering medication. However, only 39% of those receiving treatment had their BP under control, leaving a substantial proportion vulnerable to heart disease and stroke.
Experts Stress Need For Early Screening
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director of the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, and senior author of the study, said screening for hypertension in rural populations was crucial to reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases, strokes and chronic kidney disease.
Bastian Bohrmann, a researcher at Oxford Population Health, said the high number of cases among younger people was concerning, as delayed diagnosis could leave them living with hypertension for years, increasing their risk of cardiovascular complications later in life.
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Dr Rajesh Dikshit stressed the need for regular treatment, better monitoring and long-term follow-up, pointing out that many patients continued to have elevated blood pressure despite taking medication.
The researchers emphasised the need for regular community-level screening, early diagnosis and sustained treatment to improve blood pressure control in rural populations.
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