Control of hypertension with medication: a comparative analysis of national surveys in 20 countries

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a major contributor to the global disease burden and was responsible for 7% of all disability-adjusted life years in 2010.1 Moreover, the number of people with uncontrolled hypertension has increased to around 1 billion worldwide in the past three decades.2 As a result, the effective control of hypertension has become a priority for global health policy and, with growing interest in the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs),3 it is vital that health-care systems deliver appropriate interventions for tackling high blood pressure.