Hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa

Like much of the developing world, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is facing a major challenge. This challenge is due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) whose rates are rising dramatically in SSA. Two conditions that frequently coexist head the list of NCDs as either established disease entities or risk factors for NCDs. These are hypertension and diabetes. Hypertension is the foremost cardiovascular condition. The objective of this scoping review is to examine peer-reviewed publications for the period 2009–2019 related to the detection and management of hypertension in SSA. We seek to define the issues confronted in managing hypertension in SSA, what measures have been implemented and evaluated, and what barriers and facilitators have been found. By mapping the complex, heterogeneous literature, we aim to identify the key concepts that underpin a major public health issue in SSA. The central question that this review addresses is how to control hypertension in SSA.