DOH pushes for blood pressure screenings for Hypertension Awareness Month

Filipinos were encouraged to participate in the Department of Health's (DOH) initiative to screen the blood pressure (BP) of 1.7 million adults for the whole month of May as part of Hypertension Awareness Month.

According to the DOH, hypertension is a leading cause of illness and is a primary contributor to premature death in the country, with 200,000 deaths yearly attributed directly or indirectly to high blood pressure.

One in four or five Filipinos, or more than half of the 12 million hypertensive Filipinos are unaware of their condition, with some unsuspecting hypertensive individuals considered "walking time bombs" due to their susceptibility to comorbidities.

These at-risk individuals can, at any time, develop complications such as massive stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure.

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said getting screened is a cost-effective way to identify these at-risk individuals who may already be feeling the consequences of their conditions.

“Health awareness offers tremendous advantages. Screening is a cost effective way to identify at-risk individuals and those who may have already been experiencing significant symptoms, leading to lower disease rates, reduced healthcare costs and increased productivity,” Ubial said.

Ubial urged the public to get screened for hypertension and other non-communicable diseases like diabetes in rural health units, health centers, barangay health stations, and other healthcare facilities during the month of May.

She also advised the adoption of health measures such as regular exercise, a diet that is low in fat, sugar, salt and high in fiber, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol use to lower the risk of hypertension.

Those diagnosed with hypertension were also encouraged to enroll in the DOH Hypertension and Diabetes Registry and Club for regular check-ups and maintenance medicines like Losartan and Amlodipine.

"I advice the public to know their blood pressure and adopt a healthy lifestyle because your health is in your hands, it is everybody’s concern," the health chief said.

Hypertension Awareness Month coincides with the Philippines' local campaign for May Measurement Month, a global BP awareness campaign by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) "to screen 25 million people, who have not had their BPs measured since April 30, 2016." — Rie Takumi/MDM, GMA News