The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a paper claiming 10 million heart attacks and strokes could be prevented worldwide by treating just half the people with uncontrolled high blood pressure.
From the press release
“Heart disease and stroke are silent killers – on a mass scale. Cardiovascular disease kills more people around the world than all infectious diseases combined,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and the question is not whether treatment of hypertension should be undertaken on a global scale, but how quickly effective programs can be established.”
“Hypertension affects some 250 million people in the Americas, and in most countries rates of blood pressure control are unacceptably low,” said PAHO Director Carissa Etienne, M.D., M.Sc. “Scaling-up the Global Standardized Hypertension Treatment (GSHT) Project holds tremendous potential for reducing premature mortality and the adverse economic impact of cardiovascular disease in this region and around the world.”
It goes on to say that while high blood pressure is probably the easiest non-communicable disease to treat, of the 1 billion people worldwide who suffer from it, only 13 percent have it under control.
At the Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy, we offer several methods to help people monitor and control their blood pressure, specifically
- Blood Glucose & Blood pressure monitoring
- FREE 24 hour blood pressure monitoring (with Doctor’s request)
- Complimentary blood pressure monitor rentals
Our staff and pharmacists are available to help you figure out the best way to control your blood pressure.
The GSHT Project, by CDC in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), provides a promising approach for countries of all income levels. It is based on four principles
- First, agree on standardized treatment approaches, including specifics on follow-up intervals, drugs, and dosages to be used.
- Second, recognize that every member of the health care team — primary care workers, community volunteers, pharmacists, nurses, and others — is critical to controlling blood pressure.
- Third, reduce barriers for patients. Eliminate cost barriers to treatment with effective, low-cost medicines. Give only once-a-day medications; combine medications when possible into a single two-drug pill. Simplify medication refill. Reduce salt and sodium intake.
- Fourth, ensure accountability. Track the progress and blood-pressure of every patient diagnosed.
The CBC website offers a quick summary of the article, if you don’t have time to read the press release or full paper.
Myles Haverluck 