Hypertension and high measured blood pressure

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Contains key statistics and information about hypertension and high measured blood pressure and its prevalence in Australia

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Reference period
2022

Key statistics

  • Over one in ten (11.6% or 3.0 million) people reported having hypertension in 2022
  • Prevalence of reported hypertension was similar for males and females (11.7% and 11.6%)
  • Three in four (74.5%) adults with high measured blood pressure did not report having hypertension

These statistics form part of the National Health Survey 2022. More information on other topics of interest from the survey are available on the National Health Survey 2022 page.

This statistical release was previously published under the title Hypertension and measured high blood pressure.

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure over a long period of time. It can lead to serious health problems such as heart failure, stroke, heart disease, or kidney disease[1]. 

Definitions

Information on reported hypertension and high measured blood pressure was collected in the National Health Survey (NHS):

  • All respondents were asked whether they had ever been told by a doctor or nurse they had any cardiovascular or circulatory conditions, including high blood pressure/hypertension
  • Adults aged 18 years and over were invited to take part in measured blood pressure readings. For this analysis, people were defined as having high measured blood pressure if their systolic/diastolic blood pressure was equal to or greater than 140/90 mmHg[1].

In 2022, 39.0% of respondents did not have their blood pressure measured. For these people, blood pressure was imputed. For more information, see Methodology.

Self-reported hypertension prevalence

Over one in ten (11.6% or 3.0 million) people reported having hypertension in 2022, a slight increase since 2011–12 (10.2%). Males and females had similar rates of hypertension (11.7% and 11.6%).

Hypertension prevalence increased with age, almost tripling between 35–44 years to 45–54 years (from 4.7% to 12.4%). Prevalence continued to increase with age, with nearly half (45.2%) of all people aged 75 years and over reporting hypertension.

  1. Self-reported hypertension only, excludes high measured blood pressure results.

High measured blood pressure prevalence

In addition to asking respondents whether they had ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had hypertension or high blood pressure, they were also invited to have their blood pressure measured. 

In 2022, over one in five (23.3%) adults had high measured blood pressure. This rate has increased slightly since 2011–12 (21.5%). The proportion of adults with high measured blood pressure increased with age, from one in twenty (4.5%) people aged 18–24 years to more than four in ten (42.9%) people aged 75 years and over.

  1. Measured systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90mmHg.

Comparison of self-reported hypertension and high measured blood pressure

For people with high blood pressure there are often no symptoms or signs, as people can have high blood pressure yet feel well[1]. The inclusion of two methods (self-reported and measured) for assessing prevalence of high blood pressure in the NHS allows an assessment of whether people with the condition are aware that they have it.

In 2022, three in four (74.5%) adults with high measured blood pressure did not report having hypertension. This suggests that many people with high measured blood pressure either have not been diagnosed with hypertension by a doctor or nurse, or have not reported it. Nine in ten (92.3%) people aged 18–44 years with high measured blood pressure did not report having hypertension, compared to over half (54.0%) of people aged 75 years and over.

  1. Measured systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90mmHg.

Data downloads

See the National Health Survey 2022 data downloads for the full suite of available data. Data relating to Hypertension and high measured blood pressure can be found in tables:

  • TABLE 1 Summary health characteristics, 2001 to 2022
  • TABLE 2 Summary health characteristics, by states and territories
  • TABLE 3 Long-term health conditions, by age and sex 
  • TABLE 4 Selected long-term health conditions, by population characteristics
  • TABLE 5 Selected long-term health conditions, by health risk factors and health status
  • TABLE 6 Health risk factors, by population characteristics
  • TABLE 10 Measured blood pressure, by age and sex
  • TABLE 15 Number of chronic conditions, by population characteristics, by age
  • TABLE 16 Comorbidity of selected chronic conditions, by age and sex.

Footnotes

  1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘High blood pressure’, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure/contents/summary; accessed 15/11/2023.

Media release

See National Health Survey 2022 media release for more information.

Methodology

Scope

Includes:

  • all usual residents in Australia aged 0+ years living in private dwellings.
  • urban and rural areas in all states and territories, excluding very remote parts of Australia and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

Geography

The data available includes estimates for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

The National Health Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Collection method

Face-to-face interview with an Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewer.

Concepts, sources and methods

Health conditions are presented using a classification which is based on the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10).

History of changes

Not applicable to this release.

View full methodology