The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign, conducted in South Africa in 2023 aimed to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at university campuses, community centres, schools, sport complexes, public parks, shopping centres, hospitals, and through household visits. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg and/or already receiving BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 6,653 were screened, with a mean age of 38.8 years, the majority of whom were females (56.3%). Of all participants, 1,010 (15.2%) reported never having had a BP measured before, 2,500 (37.6%) had hypertension, of whom 1,170 (46.8%) were aware, and 1,098 (43.9%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, only 633 (57.7%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, only 25.3% had controlled BP.
The MMM campaign in South Africa identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. The high prevalence of hypertension, despite the young adult age, together with the high proportions of individuals unaware of their hypertension and with uncontrolled BP highlight the importance of hypertension screening and awareness campaigns, and more rigorous management of hypertension, especially among young adults.
Angela Woodiwiss, L. Ware, Andrea Kolkenbeck-Ruh et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in the Philippines in 2023 to raise awareness of the importance of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥ 18 years were recruited via opportunistic/convenience sampling at various screening sites. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. In total, 33,190 were screened, with a mean age of 45.6 years and 58.9% were female. Of all participants, 11,421 (34.4%) had hypertension, of whom 4,177 (36.6%) were aware, and 4,058 (35.5%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 2,088 (51.5%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 18.3% had controlled BP. The MMM campaign in the Philippines identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. This group of patients represent a missed opportunity for prevention of complications, hence the need for improved awareness through establishment of year-round hypertension screening programs and the use of at least two or more first-line antihypertensive drugs to achieve good BP control as recommended by guidelines.
A. Mina, N. Poulter, T. Beaney et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Ukraine in 2023 to raise awareness of high blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at central (Kyiv), eastern (Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia), southern (Odesa) and western (Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Uzhorod) Ukraine. Three seated BP readings were taken from each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or a diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 2,438 adults were screened, with a mean age of 50.1 years and 58.7% were female. Of all participants, 1,493 (61.2%) had hypertension, of whom 1,177 (78.8%) were aware, and 1,076 (72.1%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 431 (40.1%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 28.9% had controlled BP. The gender and age-related differences in the rates of awareness, treatment involvement and BP control were revealed.
Larysa Mishchenko, T. Chendey, M. Cherska et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
This article presents the findings of the May Measurement Month (MMM) 2023 campaign in Venezuela, conducted to raise awareness about elevated blood pressure (BP). Adults (≥18 years) were recruited through convenience sampling across 98 sites in eight Venezuelan regions, mainly in branches of FARMATODO (82.8%). Three seated BP measurements were obtained from each participant, and a standardized questionnaire collected data on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg and/or a diastolic BP ≥90mmHg, or current use of BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on antihypertensive treatment with a BP <140/90mmHg. Of the 56,910 participants screened (mean age: 58.3 years, 57.1% female), 35,384 (62.2%) participants had hypertension, of whom 29,551 (83.5%) were aware of their condition and 29,134 (82.3%) were receiving antihypertensive medication. Among those treated, 17,746 (60.9%) had controlled BP, and among all participants with hypertension, 50.2% had controlled BP. Half (51.4%) of treated individuals were taking one class of drug.
Other cardiovascular risk factors were prevalent: 9.5% of participants reported diabetes (76.4% of whom were also hypertensive), 56.8% were overweight or obese (Body Mass Index ≥25 kg/m2), and 52% reported physical activity less than guideline recommendations. Abdominal obesity was observed in 53.1% of females and 24.3% of males. In conclusion, the MMM23 campaign in Venezuela identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately controlled hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced strategies for BP screening, management, and overall cardiovascular health promotion.
M. J. Armas-Hernández, Mónica L Gúzman-Franolic, T. Beaney et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at participated hospitals/clinics, chain of pharmacies and selected out-reach community events throughout the country. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 77,008 adults were screened, with a mean age of 37.8 years and 47.3% were female. Of all participants, 14,912 (19.4%) had hypertension, of whom 7,799 (52.3%) were aware, and 7,408 (49.7%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 4,222 (57.0%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 28.3% had controlled BP. Females showed better awareness and BP control than males.
MMM23 highlights a substantial burden of hypertension in the UAE, with many individuals untreated or inadequately controlled. These findings reinforce the value of large-scale screening and the need for targeted public health strategies to improve hypertension detection, treatment, and control.
Buthaina A Bin Belaila, T. Beaney, G. Kerr et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Nigeria in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP).
Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at hospital outpatient clinics, public places and worship centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire was completed to obtain information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 5,485 participants were screened, with a mean age of 46.0 years and 55.2% were female. Of all participants, 2,510 (45.8%) had hypertension, of whom 1,888 (75.2%) were aware, and 1,788 (71.2%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 925 (51.7%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 36.9% had controlled BP.
The MMM campaign in Nigeria identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. A holistic, multi-modality intervention is needed to improve both the detection of hypertension and initiation of appropriate management.
Kolawole W. Wahab, P. Kolo, U. Okafor et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at hospitals, general practice surgeries, community pharmacies, universities, gyms, and other public places. Three seated BP readings were taken for each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate one or two missing BP readings. In total, 2,201 were screened, with a mean age of 51.9 years and 51.2% were female. Of all participants, 821 (37.3%) had hypertension, of whom 393 (47.9%) were aware, and 300 (36.5%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 152 (50.8%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 18.6% had controlled BP. Hypertension was more common in males, whilst awareness, antihypertensive medication use, and BP control were lower. Hypertension awareness and antihypertensive medication use were particularly low in adults aged <50 years. The MMM campaign in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom identified substantial numbers of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. This evidence reinforces the urgent need for more effective hypertension detection and control strategies to abate the rising hypertension burden.
K. Stone, Abbie R Williams, Christopher J A Pugh et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
Hypertension is a leading non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factor in Nepal, estimated to affect approximately one quarter of the adult population. The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Nepal in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP).
Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling from 11 districts of Nepal from May to August 2023. Three seated BP readings were taken from each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on antihypertensive medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on antihypertensive medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate one or two missing BP readings. In total, 7,589 were screened, with a mean age of 41.3 years and 50.4% were female. Of all participants, 1,828 (24.1%) had hypertension, of whom 833 (45.6%) were aware, and 716 (39.2%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 421 (58.8%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 23.0% had controlled BP.
The MMM campaign in Nepal identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. Despite a higher proportion of hypertension among males, their awareness, treatment, and control levels were significantly lower than that in females. This study highlights the need to strengthen community-based programs to enhance the continuum of hypertension detection and management.
Zhengbang Yao, Y. Inagaki, S. Koirala et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Vietnam in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at multiple sites across various provinces and cities throughout Vietnam. Three seated BP readings were taken from each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 10,944 adults were screened, with a mean age of 53.5 years and 52.3% were female. Of all participants, 4,905 (44.8%) had hypertension, of whom 3,673 (74.9%) were aware, and 3,584 (73.1%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 1,925 (53.7%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 39.2% had controlled BP. The MMM campaign in Vietnam identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. These findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened national strategies to improve hypertension screening, treatment accessibility, and long-term blood pressure control.
M. Van, Viet Nguyen Lan, Son Tran Kim et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Ghana in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and Ashanti Regions of Ghana. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. In total, 4,203 were screened, with a mean age of 33.6 years and 29.0% were female. Of all participants, 506 (12.0%) had hypertension, of whom 73 (14.4%) were aware, and 69 (13.6%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 26 (37.7%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 5.1% had controlled BP. The MMM campaign in Ghana identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. It is significant to note that the annual BP screening campaign is a means to create awareness of the need to get screened and also identify individuals with high BP.
Betty Owusu-Ansah, Joseph O Kiddy-Kodua, Martin Adu-Adadey et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Egypt in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at hospitals, workplaces, and public areas across Egypt. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 2,701 were screened, with a mean age of 41.9 years and 44.5% were female. Of all participants, 661 (24.5%) had hypertension, of whom 452 (68.4%) were aware, and 431 (65.2%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 290 (67.3%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 43.9% had controlled BP. Females had a higher prevalence of hypertension (27.3% vs 22.2%), awareness (75.9% vs 61.0%) and controlled BP (50.6% vs 37.2%) than males.
The MMM campaign in Egypt identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension, underscoring a high burden and persistent gaps in detection and management. These findings highlight the need for public education, clinical management, and community-centric screening and interventions to improve BP control and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Marina Sous, Farah Bishay, Esraa Magdy et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Thailand in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at voluntary healthcare centres throughout Thailand. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 14,390 were screened, with a mean age of 52.7 years and 60.2% were female. Of all participants, 6,377 (44.3%) had hypertension, of whom 5,137 (80.6%) were aware, and 5,066 (79.4%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 3,391 (66.9%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 53.2% had controlled BP.
The MMM campaign in Thailand identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. Strategies to deliver early and effective BP control must be emphasized.
Chavalit Chotruangnapa, S. Kunanon, P. Kotruchin et al.· European Heart Journal, Supp...· 0 citations