May Measurement Month 2017: Results from Taiwan-East Asia

May Measurement Month 2019: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Taiwan

To bolster the awareness of high blood pressure (BP) and to monitor the trend of hypertension control rate. Similar to May Measurement Month (MMM) 2017 and 2018 campaigns, we conducted the MMM 2019 campaign in 643 community pharmacies across Taiwan, and recruited adults aged 20 years or over in May and June of 2019. After filling in an anonymous questionnaire regarding medical history and lifestyle habits and having 10-min sitting rest, pharmacists took triplicate upper-arm BP readings on participants using an automated oscillometric sphygmomanometer. The means of the second and third BP readings were used as the screening BP estimates. Hypertension was defined if one of the followings was met: use of antihypertensive medications, systolic BP ≥140 mmHg, or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg. Controlled BP was defined as BP of <140/90 mmHg. Of the 24 851 participants enrolled (mean age, 55.8 ± 15.2 years), 12 427 (50.0%) were women. Among 12 351 (49.7%) participants with hypertension, 10 463 (84.7%) were aware of their high BP, and 10 142 (82.1%) received antihypertensive medications. While 59.2% of all hypertensive participants had controlled BP, the BP control rate was 72.0% in treated hypertensive participants. MMM campaigns offer a feasible way to monitor the trends in both awareness and control of hypertension. This nationwide annual BP screening campaign, from 2017 to 2019, demonstrated continued improvement in hypertension control in Taiwan.

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

To raise awareness of hypertension in the general population, we have held an annual community-based nationwide campaign for blood pressure (BP) screening. The 2018 May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign in Taiwan followed a similar protocol as the 2017 MMM campaign. We recruited adults aged 20 years and older at about 800 community pharmacies across Taiwan. After a 10-min seated rest, volunteers-consisting of community pharmacists-took three BP readings using automated BP devices. The means of the 2nd and 3rd BP readings were used as the screening BP estimates. Hypertension was defined as current use of antihypertensive medications, or the screening BP of ≥140/90 mmHg. Of the 15 365 enrolled participants with a mean age of 56.8 ± 16.4 years, 53.3% were women. After imputation, we found 48.1% of the individuals had hypertension. Among participants with hypertension, 83.7% were aware, 55.0% had controlled BP, and 81.3% were medically treated, of whom 67.7% had controlled BP (<140/90 mmHg). In contrast to the global results, our results showed that the participants with diabetes mellitus, prior myocardial infarction, or stroke had higher BP than those without these comorbidities. The annual campaign experience enables us to establish a feasible approach to raising awareness and to assessing the management of hypertension in the general population. Whether the regular annual BP screening campaign makes a lasting effect on hypertension-related disease burden awaits verification.