Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in South Africa (SA) and high blood pressure (BP) is the primary risk factor. However, hypertension prevalence is high, BP control is poor and CV events occur at a younger age than in Europe or America. Increasing screening, raising awareness and improving management of hypertension are critical to prevent CVD in SA. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative of the International Society of Hypertension aimed at raising awareness of high BP. As part of the MMM campaign, in SA (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021), BP measurements and a cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥ 18years were performed. Of 11,320 individuals (age 36.6 ± 16.8years) screened, 29.7% had hypertension (systolic BP/diastolic BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or antihypertensive medication use) and the prevalence was higher (p < 0.0001) in men (35.6%) than in women (26.3%). Of those with hypertension, only 54.3% were aware and 46.8% were receiving antihypertensive medication, and 53.7% of these had controlled BP. In men with hypertension, awareness (45.2%, treatment (38.2%) and controlled BP on antihypertensive medication (45.2%) were lower (p < 0.0001) than in women (awareness: 60.8%; treatment: 53.5%; controlled BP: 58.3%). In young participants (age < 40years), 15.6% had hypertension, 18.6% of these were on treatment but 76.0% were not aware, and only 57.7% had controlled BP. The high prevalence of hypertension, but low levels of awareness, treatment, and BP control in SA, especially in young adults and men, highlight the need for systematic BP screening programmes and improvements in education and management of hypertension.

心血管疾病 (CVD) 是南非 (SA) 的主要原因，而高血压 (BP) 是主要危险因素。然而，与欧美相比，高血压患病率较高，血压控制较差，心血管事件发生的年龄较年轻。加强高血压筛查、提高认识和改善高血压管理对于南澳预防 CVD 至关重要。五月测量月（MMM）是国际高血压学会的一项全球倡议，旨在提高人们对高血压的认识。作为 MMM 活动的一部分，在南澳（2017 年、2018 年、2019 年和 2021 年），对 18 岁以上的志愿者进行了血压测量和横断面调查。在接受筛查的 11,320 名个体（年龄 36.6 ± 16.8 岁）中，29.7% 患有高血压（收缩压/舒张压 ≥ 140/90 mmHg 或使用抗高血压药物），男性患病率 (p < 0.0001) 高于男性 (35.6% )  。女性（26.3%）。在高血压患者中，只有54.3%的人知晓，46.8%的人正在接受降压药物治疗，其中53.7%的人血压已得到控制。男性高血压患者的知晓率（45.2%、治疗率（38.2%）和抗高血压药物控制血压（45.2%）均低于 女性（p < 0.0001）（知晓率：60.8%；治疗率：53.5%；控制血压：58.3 %).在年轻参与者(年龄<40岁)中，15.6%患有高血压，其中18.6%正在接受治疗，但76.0%不知情，只有57.7%血压得到控制。高血压患病率高，但知晓率低南澳州的血压、治疗和血压控制，尤其是年轻人和男性，凸显了系统性血压筛查计划以及改善高血压教育和管理的必要性。