Across the WHO regions, the prevalence of raised blood pressure was highest in Africa, where it was 46% for both sexes combined. Both men and women have high rates of raised blood pressure in the Africa region, with prevalence rates over 40%. The lowest prevalence of raised blood pressure was in the WHO Region of the Americas at 35% for both sexes. Men in this region had higher prevalence than women (39% for men and 32% for women). In all WHO regions, men have slightly higher prevalence of raised blood pressure than women. This difference was only statistically significant in the Americas and Europe.