May Measurement Month 2018: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Bangladesh.

Abstract

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide, leading to over 10 million deaths each year. According to Non-communicable disease (NCD) Risk Factors Survey Bangladesh 2010, one-fifth (21.9%) of adults aged 25 years or more have hypertension. Almost one-third of the adult population did not have their BP measured in their lifetime in Bangladesh. National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh participated in May Measurement Month (MMM) 2018 as a part of a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of high BP and to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programmes nationally. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 years was carried out in May 2018. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension and statistical analysis followed the MMM protocol. Data were collected from 10 screening sites in 9 districts in Bangladesh. A total of 5208 individuals were screened during MMM18. After multiple imputation, 1750 (33.6%) had hypertension. Among the 1750 participants with hypertension, 1312 (75.0%) were aware of having hypertension. Among those that were not on antihypertensive medication, 15.2% were hypertensive and among those that were on antihypertensive medication 33.6% had uncontrolled hypertension. The present study showed that opportunistic screening can identify significant numbers of people with raised BP. A periodic public health programme at a national level needs to be initiated to increase hypertension detection and control rates and thus for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

• Authors: Fazila-Tun-Nesa Malik, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Mir Ishraquzzaman, Mohammad Kalimuddin, Tawfiq Shahriar Huq, Mohammad Shamimur Rahman, Sohel Reza Choudhury, Nazir Ahmed, Mohammad Badiuzzaman, Thomas Beaney, Xin Xia, Anca Chis Ster, Abdul Malik, Neil R Poulter
• Journal: European heart journal supplements : journal of the European Society of Cardiology (Eur Heart J Suppl) Vol. 22 Issue Suppl H Pg. H20-H22 (Aug 2020) ISSN: 1520-765X [Print] England
• PMID: 32884460 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. © The Author(s) 2020.