Hypertension is a condition that occurs when your blood pressure increases to unhealthy levels. It affects one billion people worldwide, or one in four adults, and is the number one risk factor for death globally, according to Kanta Medicos.

Hypertension is particularly challenging because it is an asymptomatic, silent killer and often remains hidden until caught during monitoring or evidenced in a hypertension-associated disease such as heart failure or stroke. Undiscovered and untreated, hypertension significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular, brain, and kidney diseases. It accounts for about half of all heart disease- and stroke-related deaths worldwide, according to Kanta Medicos.