Watch your BP

Watch your blood pressure. Avoid strokes and perishing before your time.

This was the message imparted by medical experts with the stern warning that statistics reveal that 28 per cent of adult Filipinos have hypertension, and that the number is still increasing despite treatment and advances, and that the majority of those being treated have poor blood pressure (BP) control. 

Dr. Jorge Sison of the Philippine Heart Association-Council on Hypertension (COH) said that the prevalence of hypertension in the Philippines has significantly grown in recent years, and the need to address it should all the more be prioritized, especially with the lack of awareness, treatment, compliance, and blood pressure control rates among hypertensive patients in the country.

Dr. Sison’s presentation confirms what Department of Health (DOH) undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa said early this year that heart attack and stroke are still among the top leading causes of death in the country.

The DOH also revealed that more than 276 Filipinos die of heart disease on a daily basis and at least one Filipino suffers from stroke every nine minutes. Survivors have a 75 per cent chance of becoming permanently disabled.

For this reason, Pfizer, Inc. (Philippines) spearheaded last week’s first forum discussion entitled,  “The Pressure is on: The growing burden of hypertension and Olmesartan-based solutions.”

“Heart diseases remain as the top leading cause of mortality in the country,” said Dr. Cris Dumo, infectious disease specialist and medical director of Pfizer.  “We therefore see the need to address this medical concern by providing the latest epidemiology of hypertension through the discussion of the results of the Prevalence Survey titled, “Presyon 3.’”

The study had been conducted by a team of Dr. Sison, establishing the need for better control of hypertension through the dissemination of latest statistics on hypertension detection, treatment, and control rates in the country.

German professor Roland Schmieder, who   took the same stage as Dr. Sison, talked of the different drug classes of anti-hypersensitive medications. He is currently professor of internal medicine, nephrology and hypertension and head of the clinical research center of hypertension and vascular medicine at the Department of Nephrology and Hypertension at the University Hospital Erlangen, Germany.

He emphasized that medical doctors should be aware of the availability of BP management technologies, including combinations of medications. Instead of one medicine that a patient takes for BP management, a combination of two medicines has been proven to be effective. Doctors, he said, prescribe medications according to patients’ conditions, for example, if they have accompanying health problems like diabetes.  Which is why they should be attending conferences to update them on the latest BP technologies.

But people themselves should take pains to put their blood pressure under control. The ideal BP should be 140/90. To avoid hypertension, they must take care that they are not overweight, have low salt intake, and engage in physical exercise.

Does living a stressful life contribute to high BP measurement? Yes, both Drs. Sison and Shmieder said. Dr. Sison said one must learn to cope — don’t be overstressed, learn to relax, have enough sleep, and recharge one’s batteries.

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The UP Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity is observing its 75th founding anniversary Oct. 23 and 24.

The first day activities consist of the convention and elections,  inspirational messages  by former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, and Supreme Court Justice Pepe Reyes, a film presentation entitled “Anong Batch Mo?”,  and an international fellowship dinner. A diamond jubilee anniversary ball will be held the next day, with Sen. Chiz Escudero, former lord chancellor, giving the inspirational address, Lord Chancellor Alex A. Lopez the valedictory address, and presentation of the Diamond Jubilee Alphan exemplars. New resident brods will  be inducted, and a video presentation of the history of the fraternity shown.

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