Hypertension: how community pharmacists could save 100,000 lives
One of the most significant yet under-reported global health threats is hypertension. Google “Silent Killer” and you’ll find countless public health agencies sounding the alarm, not a horror movie.
Over 40 million Americans have undiagnosed hypertension, with prevalence especially high (over 40%) among Hispanic and underinsured populations. Hypertension is silent, asymptomatic, and deadly, contributing to 425,000 deaths from heart failure and 55,000 from end-stage renal disease annually.
And yet, it’s easy to detect and inexpensive to treat. A 60-second BP cuff reading can flag it. First-line medications like thiazides, calcium channel blockers, ARBs, and ACE inhibitors are all low-cost generics.
In 2022, the CDC and CMS launched the One Million Hearts initiative to prevent one million heart attacks by 2027. But recent proposed public health cuts cast doubt on the program’s future.
Now imagine: what if every retail pharmacy in the U.S. screened just one million people? The infrastructure is largely in place, and the benefits, both public and commercial, could be massive.
Pharmacists in states like Idaho already have prescribing authority. This model could scale nationally.
Meanwhile, massive investments signal that pharmacy chains are ready:
CVS: $20B over 10 years for a tech-enabled health experience
The cost of a national screening campaign? A rounding error.
Let’s start small: screen one million Americans. Even if just 10% have undiagnosed hypertension, that's 100,000 lives impacted.
To drive participation, why not gamify it? Imagine a national campaign: “Check Your BP. Win $1 Million.” We have the tech. We have the infrastructure. We just need the will.
Jeff Mazzamurro, PharmD and Director of Research and Innovation at The Travis Group, used AI to create a video ad for the campaign:
But before we go national, have you checked your BP lately? What about your loved ones? Million dollars or not, let’s walk the walk and see how many we can inspire to better health.
What you can do
Check your BP regularly: no symptoms doesn’t mean no risk
Encourage your pharmacy or clinic to participate in screening efforts
Advocate for pharmacist prescribing rights in your state to expand access
Support or contribute to campaigns like One Million Hearts
Stay informed about public health policy shifts that impact preventive care funding
Additional resource
WHO: Global Status Report on Hypertension 2023: Global context and progress gaps
