In Switzerland in 2022, 19.5% of the population had high blood pressure. This percentage has been rising since 2002 (14.7%), especially among men (2002: 14.1%; 2022: 22.4%).
High blood pressure is considerably more common in the older population than it is in young people. Furthermore, people having completed no more than compulsory schooling (2022: 33.9%) are more likely to be affected by high blood pressure than those with an upper-secondary level qualification (24.8%) or those who have completed tertiary education (15.9%).
This indicator is part of the Monitoring System Addiction and NCD (MonAM) of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a risk factor for various diseases. If it persists over a period of months or years, it inflicts damage to the heart and blood vessels. It can also have consequences for the brain, legs, kidneys and eyes. High blood pressure is one of the main risks for cardiovascular diseases and increases the risk of having a stroke, cardiac failure or a heart attack. Various factors increase the likelihood of suffering from high blood pressure: overweight, excessive consumption of salt or alcohol, lack of exercise, stress as well as certain medications. High blood pressure is diagnosed when systolic pressure of at least ≥ 140mmHG and/or diastolic pressure of ≥ 90mmHG is repeatedly measured (WHO, 2023).
The indicator measures the share of the population with recognised high blood pressure and provides support in planning and monitoring preventive measures.
This indicator was calculated on the basis of data from the Swiss Health Survey (SHS, n2022 ≈ 22 000) and is updated every five years.
It shows the percentage of the population aged 15 and above living in a private household who stated themselves that they have high blood pressure and/or took medication to lower their blood pressure in the seven days prior to the survey.
The indicator is based on the following two questions:
An explanation of socio-demographic variables can be found in the document: Definition of the characteristics
Standardisation: Use the slider above the graphic to display the age and sex-standardised figures. Standardisation levels out age- and gender-specific differences in comparisons between different population groups (e.g. between cantons or educational levels) and over time. More information: Standardisation – explanation and calculation
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Tel. +41 58 462 95 05
media@bag.admin.ch
Tel. +41 58 463 60 45
obsan@bfs.admin.ch
https://www.obsan.admin.ch/en/contact