High blood pressure, known as hypertension, is the world’s leading cause of death, killing more than 10 million people every year – more than all infectious diseases combined. Three quarters of people with high blood pressure live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but fewer than one in 10 people with hypertension who live in LMICs are treated effectively. Hypertension can be controlled with safe, effective, and low cost medications, but access is highly unequal across countries.
Developed in collaboration with the Médecins Sans Frontières Access project, Under Pressure identifies barriers to affordable blood pressure medication in LMICs and underscores the need for a transformation of the global blood pressure medicines market to make life-saving medicines more affordable and available.
