Health · Public Health & Disease · 2 hrs ago
Only 30% of treated hypertension patients in Brazil stick with treatment
In Brazil, only 30% of treated patients with high blood pressure keep taking their medicine consistently, doctors said.
Cardiologist Ronaldo Rosa said many people stop when their blood pressure readings improve or they have no symptoms, even though hypertension often has no visible symptoms.
Rosa said the same pattern occurs with cholesterol and diabetes, where reaching target levels does not mean the underlying risks have gone away.
He warned that stopping treatment to drink alcohol, even for a weekend, is especially concerning.
Neurologist Cristine Cukiert said healthy habits from a young age can help lower later-life neurological risks, including regular exercise and a balanced diet.
The doctors said ongoing treatment helps keep these conditions controlled and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Only 30% of diagnosed and medicated hypertension patients in Brazil continue treatment consistently, according to doctors featured by CNN Brasil.
Cardiologist Ronaldo Rosa said many patients stop taking medication after their blood pressure returns to normal or because they have no symptoms.
He warned that hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes can continue to damage blood vessels and raise cardiovascular risk without noticeable symptoms.
Rosa also cautioned against stopping medication to drink alcohol.
Neurologist Cristine Cukiert said healthy habits adopted from a young age can help reduce the risk of neurological disease later in life.
- Who
- Diagnosed and medicated hypertension patients in Brazil; doctors Ronaldo Rosa and Cristine Cukiert discussed the issue.
- What
- Only 30% of the patients continue treatment consistently.
- When
- The report was published on November 1, 2026.
- Where
- Brazil; the discussion aired on CNN Brasil’s CNN Sinais Vitais program.
- Why
- Some patients stop medication when their blood pressure normalizes or they have no symptoms. The report says hypertension often has no visible symptoms.
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- Treatment adherence
- 30% of diagnosed and medicated hypertension patients in Brazil continue treatment consistently
- Publication date
- November 1, 2026
- Program
- CNN Sinais Vitais
- Ronaldo Rosa
- Cardiologist and director of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo
- Cristine Cukiert
- Neurologist
What people are saying
Hypertension is a disease that most often has no symptoms. The patient starts taking medication, understands that the blood pressure has returned to normal and thinks they can stop.
Even when the patient feels nothing, those factors slowly damage their blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk.
There is a situation where the patient says they are going to drink a beer at the weekend and stops taking the medicine for that. That is worse.
You start preventing your degenerative disease at 80 now.