SIGNING the World Hypertension Day ceremonial scroll is Peter Goldschmidt, president and CEO of Novartis Healthcare Philippines, while looking on are (from left) Dr. Efren Vicaldo, president, Philippine Heart Association; Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, director, Department of Health; and Dr. Ramon Abarquez, founding chair, Philippine Society of Hypertension.
MANILA, Philippines—Hypertension or what is commonly called as high blood pressure is a vicious, relentless killer that affects over 1 billion people worldwide.
With such a significant portion of the world’s population in danger of suffering from sudden heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, stroke or premature death (in fact, over 7 million deaths are attributed to hypertension), it became the mission of various groups from 85 countries to make the public know about the seriousness of this condition.
The World Hypertension Day was thus, created and is observed every 17th of May.
Why is this important?
According to Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, director of Department of Health Disease Prevention and Control, a nationwide survey conducted last year by the Philippine Heart Association found that of the 10.5 million Filipinos with hypertension, 16 percent are not aware they have the condition and only 20 percent are able to control their high blood pressure.
“Steps should be taken to address this issue as this will definitely impact on their health later on in their life,” Oliveros said.
Growing need
The health officer added that because of this, there is a growing need to properly diagnose and manage hypertension in the country.
“The DOH is pleased to join the PHA, Philippine Society of Hypertension, and healthcare company Novartis in this initiative to help Filipinos learn more about hypertension and the health risks associated with undetected and untreated high blood pressure,” Oliveros said.
To help increase hypertension awareness and control in the country, the PHA initiated the Deadma? Dead ka! advocacy, which will conduct a study to help doctors improve blood pressure control among Filipino patients.
The study aims to identify and evaluate physician-related factors that affect the management of Filipino hypertensives in Metro Manila.
Great strides
“Proper treatment should be undertaken, once the hypertension is detected and diagnosed,” stressed Dr. Ramon Abarquez Jr., PSH founding chair.
Novartis Healthcare Philippines President Peter Goldschmidt agreed: “As a global leader in the treatment of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, Novartis aims to provide better treatment options to more Filipino patients by constantly developing and making available therapeutic and pharmacological innovations.”
Novartis in fact, introduced to the market an innovative new blood pressure treatment that works differently from other medicines available today.
The drug called aliskiren (Rasilez) targets an enzyme in the patient’s body called renin that triggers a process leading to high blood pressure.
By inhibiting renin, aliskiren has been shown to provide blood pressure reductions that last beyond 24 hours.
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