RESUMO
Cardiovascular diseases remain the Philippines' leading cause of mortality, with hypertension as a prevalent contributory risk factor. We took part in May Measurement Month 2017 (MMM17), a global initiative to raise awareness of high blood pressure (BP) and to serve as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programs worldwide. Following the standard MMM protocol, data for 271 604 screened individuals were submitted from the Philippines. After multiple imputation, 91 994 (34.3%) were hypertensive; 28 662 out of 205 158 participants (14.0%) not receiving treatment had hypertension; and of the 60 370 receiving treatment, 25 144 (41.6%) had uncontrolled BP. Blood pressures were significantly higher in the overweight and obese, current smokers, in participants receiving antihypertensive medication, those with previous myocardial infarction or stroke. The BP measurements were relatively lower when taken on the left arm, and in pregnant women. A slightly higher systolic BP was noted in participants who reported no alcohol intake. Blood pressures recorded during the weekends were highest, and the lowest readings were obtained on Tuesdays. MMM17 was the largest BP screening campaign conducted in the Philippines. Opportunistic BP screening, harnessing volunteers, are a cost-effective public health measure to improve awareness and treatment rates of raised BP. These may help provide additional information that can guide medical practitioners and health officials in drafting preventive and therapeutic measures to improve control rates and long-term outcomes of hypertensive individuals in the population.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The EXforge Clinical evaluation of amlodlpine and valsarTan in hypErtension (EXCITE) study was designed to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and safety of amlodipine/valsartan (Aml/Val) and amlodipine/valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (Aml/Val/HCT) single-pill combination (SPC) in patients with hypertension.METHODOLOGY: This 26-week observational, multicenter, prospective, open-label study included patients aged ? 18 years of age with established diagnosis of hypertension. The change in mean sitting systolic BP (msSBP), diastolic BP (msDBP) from baseline to Week 26, proportion of patients achieving BP goal (msSBP/msDBP RESULTS: Of the total 1,054 patients in the full analysis set (Aml/Val, n=928; Aml/Val/HCTZ, n=126), 923 (87.6%) patients completed the study. The baseline BP was 158.5/96.5 and 167.0/99.5 mmHg in the Aml/Val and Aml/Val/HCTZ groups,respectively. Significant reductions in msSBP and msDBP from baseline to week 26 were observed with both Aml/Val (-31.9/-19.2 mmHg). Adverse events were reported by 8.8% of the patients.CONCLUSION: The Aml/Val and Aml/Val/HCTZ SPCs were effective in controlling BP and were generally well tolerated in patients with hypertension from the Philippines.
