A modeling analysis of health data from 20 countries estimates that increasing control of high blood pressure could prevent more than 518,000 annual deaths from cardiovascular disease, making it the most effective among six preventive healthcare services studied. The preliminary research was presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026, held October 7-11 in Arlington, Virginia.
The study modeled eligible populations in 20 upper- and lower-middle-income countries with the highest numbers of deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Researchers applied statistical models to estimate the lives that could be saved each year if six evidence-based services were scaled up to match the levels of high-performing U.S. health systems—approximately 80% of eligible patients. The services included blood pressure control, statin treatment for high cholesterol, glucose control in people with diabetes, and screening for colon, breast, and cervical cancers.
Hypertension control prevented the most deaths, with an estimated 518,476 fewer annual cardiovascular deaths. Statin therapy for high cholesterol could prevent 340,682 deaths, and glucose control in people with diabetes could prevent 309,520 deaths. Colon cancer screening could prevent 206,767 cancer deaths each year. The benefits were especially pronounced in lower-middle-income countries, where 223,655 deaths could be prevented annually through better blood pressure management, and in upper-middle-income countries, where 223,282 deaths could be avoided.
“In this study, we analyzed existing data to assess if expanding use of NCD preventive healthcare services across 20 countries worldwide could reduce cardiovascular death,” said Scott Pilla, M.D., M.H.S., an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “We found that expanding treatment of high blood pressure to more people prevented the most deaths, followed by more broad use of statin medications for high cholesterol and managing blood sugar in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.”
The analysis revealed substantial gaps in preventive care. Only about one in five adults with hypertension in the studied countries had their blood pressure controlled below 140/90 mm Hg. Sixteen percent of individuals with high cholesterol used statins, 39% of those with diabetes had blood sugar below optimal levels, and only 14%-26% underwent routinely indicated cancer screenings. These gaps underscore the potential for improvement, particularly in lower-middle-income countries where rates of hypertension control and cholesterol management are low and cancer screening is minimal.
“This modeling analysis offers important information on the potential global impact of high blood pressure and, importantly, the opportunity to, with treatment, reduce the number of deaths due to high blood pressure-related conditions,” said Daniel W. Jones, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s 2025 guideline writing committee and past volunteer president of the Association. “Treatment of high blood pressure to goal leads to longer lives and also healthier lives.”
The study’s treatment targets were based on major clinical guidelines, including the American Heart Association’s 2025 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults, which recommends a treatment goal of less than 130/80 mm Hg. Statin therapy criteria followed the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology’s 2026 dyslipidemia guideline, and glucose control was defined as hemoglobin A1c below 7.0% per the American Diabetes Association. Cancer screening intervals followed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations.
The researchers noted that the study has limitations, including limited data on preventive care use in some countries and a lack of specific strategies for improving access. Future research should explore approaches to bridge these gaps. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal. The abstracts will be published in the Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026 Supplement of the Hypertension journal.
For more information on high blood pressure, visit the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure resource page. Additional details on managing the condition are available at How to Manage High Blood Pressure. The Association’s financial information is available here.
