Hypertension is the commonest cardiovascular disorder, affecting about 20 per cent of the adult population in many countries. It is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular mortality, which accounts for 20-50 per cent of all deaths. Raised awareness of the public health and economic implications of hypertension is now directing public attention to the need for long-term control programmes that focus on primary prevention, early detection and adequate teatment. This report reviews the epidemiology and pathophysiology of hypertension, enumerates its risk factors and predictors, and makes specific proposals for its prevention and control in populations.