Objectives We aimed to evaluate the awareness, treatment, and control rate of hypertension from ShenZhen communities, by comprehensive intervention and medication treatment.

Methods Comprehensive intervention was applied to 1252 cases randomly selected from 5 communities in ShenZhen since June, 2008. Comprehensive intervention included offering health brochure, lecture on hypertension, health education in groups, family members involved as monitors, personalised health education, behaviour and lifestyle intervention, and medication treatment. Awareness rate, treatment rate, control rate, smoking rate, regular alcohol consumption rate, excessive salt intake rate, and regular exercise rate were recorded before intervention and 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months later, respectively.

Results After 2-year intervention, awareness rate rose from 39.93% to 96.96% (Χ²=942.7, p < 0.001), medication rate rose from 32.27% to 86.18% (Χ²=753.5, p < 0.001), control rate rose from 22.12% to 46.25% (Χ²=161.9, p < 0.001), while smoking rates, regular alcohol consumption rate, excessive salt intake rate, and regular exercise rate had no significant changes before and after intervention(p > 0.05).

Conclusions Comprehensive intervention on behaviour and lifestyle of patients with hypertension and their family members may improve the awareness, treatment and control rates of hypertension. Comprehensive intervention may be the best and most economic way to control hypertension.