How awareness of hypertension affects drug consumption: mixed trends in Russia

Public awareness of hypertension has been growing in recent years, but patients’ knowledge of the disease remains insufficient, according to the ORBI stroke foundation. GxP News examined whether increased awareness has affected demand for hypertension drugs.

About 60% of Russians surveyed believe that a person can feel when their blood pressure is elevated, according to a study conducted by the ORBI stroke foundation in March 2026. At the same time, 53% agree that hypertension can remain asymptomatic for a long time and be detected by chance.

The analysis also showed that most respondents understand the seriousness of hypertension and its link to stroke risk: over 80% agree that the disease increases this risk. However, perceptions of high blood pressure remain mixed – some associate it primarily with how they feel, and 30% believe in the existence of “normal for me” high blood pressure.

“The topic of hypertension is familiar to many, but it does not always translate into clear everyday actions. Some people associate high blood pressure primarily with how they feel, even though it may not come with noticeable symptoms. That is why it is important to measure blood pressure regularly, know your numbers, see a doctor and follow prescribed recommendations,” said Andrey Saitov, director of information programmes at the foundation.

Cardiologist and functional diagnostics physician Ellina Zavertyaeva noted that the ORBI foundation’s findings closely mirror what doctors see every day in their practices. She said one can speak of increased public awareness of hypertension, but with caveats.

“We observe a paradox: people hear more about hypertension and its dangers, but most still lack a deep understanding of the disease mechanism. At the same time, hypertension remains the leader in the number of dangerous medical myths,” she explained.

She cited the myth of “normal for me” blood pressure as one of the most dangerous and persistent stereotypes. Patients often say, “My blood pressure is 150/90, but I feel fine – it’s my normal.” At such levels, irreversible changes can occur in the arteries of the heart, kidneys and brain, Zavertyaeva stressed. The concept of “normal elevated blood pressure” does not exist in modern medicine.

She also noted that blood pressure elevation is usually completely asymptomatic, and the fact that 59% of survey respondents say they feel it is a worrying trend.

“A person can live with high blood pressure for years without any headache or nausea – until a vascular catastrophe occurs,” Zavertyaeva said.

The physician also noted that some patients look for external causes of hypertension, blaming magnetic storms, changes in atmospheric pressure and weather sensitivity. While weather can be a trigger, it is never the root cause of hypertension, she said. Looking for the cause in weather forecasts instead of taking baseline therapy is a dangerous escape from reality.

Moreover, many view hypertension as a temporary condition, assuming that a course of medication will cure it permanently. In reality, hypertension is a chronic disease requiring lifelong therapy.

Although the information noise around hypertension has increased, the quality of awareness about the disease still leaves much to be desired, the expert believes.

Alexander Tyukin, head of e-commerce at the health marketplace Zdravciti, noted that demand for blood pressure medication is rising, but this is not linked to increased public awareness of the disease.

“Over the past three years, demand has more than doubled in physical terms, approaching around 250,000 packs sold per month on average. These are prescription drugs, which means that medical diagnosis and therapy have become more frequent in the first place,” he said.

Analysing sales from his pharmacy chain, Tyukin identified a trend: demand begins to rise in March – in the first month of spring, around 10% more packs of hypertension drugs are sold than in January–February. Peak values occur in the summer, when cardiovascular medications become particularly sought after due to high temperatures and humidity.

However, according to the pharmacy chain 36.6, sales of drugs for the prevention and treatment of hypertension in January–April 2026 fell slightly compared with the same periods in 2024 and 2025. In 2024, 4.97 million packs of such drugs were sold in January–April; in 2025, 4.94 million; and in 2026, 4.85 million.

At the same time, according to RNC Pharma, retail sales of hypertension drugs in the first quarter of 2026 amounted to 53.5 million packs worth nearly 28 billion roubles. Growth compared with the same period in 2025 was +6.2% in packs and +16.4% in value.

Based on sales trends, both the public and the professional community take a fairly responsible approach to hypertension treatment, said Nikolai Bespalov, development director at RNC Pharma.

“For the fourth consecutive year, the market has shown a steady upward trend in both physical and monetary terms,” he stressed.

The expert also noted that hypertension drugs are among the categories where new medications – including combination products – are consistently being introduced. Not only are consumption volumes growing, but so is demand for more modern therapies, he said.