May Measurement Month (MMM) aims to screen millions of blood pressures in 1 month across the world.

4th May 2017, LONDON, UK – Omron Healthcare has donated over 10,750 Blood Pressure Monitors (BPMs) to the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) and World Hypertension League (WHL). These devices will be used to record blood pressure readings of millions of patients in nearly 100 countries across the world during May 2017. Achieving this many blood pressure readings in one month in one study will make it the largest medical screening project ever (1).

Raised blood pressure (BP) is the most significant single contributing risk factor to global death (2) and to the global burden of disease (3). This impact is largely shown through increased rates of coronary artery disease, stroke and renal disease. Raised BP currently causes approximately 9.4 million deaths each year worldwide (4) and this figure is expected to rise given an expanding and aging global population. The aetiology of raised BP is largely explicable by identified environmental factors such as overweight, excessive intake of alcohol and dietary salt, and insufficient exercise (5).

As a leading company in Cardiovascular business with its main product being blood pressure monitors, Omron Healthcare has set its ambitious vision to help patients, consumers and healthcare professionals improve their quality of life and get closer to "zero cerebral and cardiovascular events".

To realise this vision Omron Healthcare have partnered with professionals and are forging ahead with the development of technologies, products and services. As part of this effort, Omron Healthcare has made the decision to contribute to this screening programme which is a good example of a partnership with the healthcare community.

Supporting ISH helps contribute to increasing the awareness on hypertension and the significant impact it can have on quality of life.

Commentating on the donation President of the ISH, Neil Poulter said “This is a much-needed donation of devices which will help our volunteers across the world”. The CEO of Omron Healthcare Europe, Andre van Gils added “Omron Healthcare is very proud to be helping May Measurement Month. Hypertension can be a devastating condition and raising awareness of it will help drive improved healthcare for people across the world”.

References
1.ISH / WHL estimates March 2017
2.GBD 2013 Risk Factors Collaborators. Lancet. 2015;386:2287–323
3.Lim et al. Lancet. 2012;380:2224-60
4.Retrieved from http://www.who.int/features/qa/82/en/
5.Poulter et al. Lancet. 2015;386:801-12

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About Omron Healthcare

Committed to improving people's lives, Omron Healthcare provides clinically proven, innovative medical equipment for health monitoring and therapy. Omron Healthcare is market leader in digital blood pressure monitors for both home and professional use with unit sales of over 200 million blood pressure monitors (based on cumulative sales worldwide as of November 2016).

Our product portfolio includes blood pressure monitors, nebulisers, electronic thermometers and activity counters as well as body composition monitors and professional medical devices. For many decades, Omron's devices have helped people to prevent, treat and manage lifestyle diseases both at home and in clinical practice in more than 100 countries in the world.

Omron Healthcare Group is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. OMRON Healthcare Europe B.V. is the healthcare division for Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa, and provides service to customers in more than 70 countries. www.healthcare.omron.co.jp/global/

About ISH

The International Society of Hypertension (ISH) is a registered charity and membership organisation committed to promoting and encouraging the advancement of scientific research and knowledge and its application to the prevention and management of heart disease and stroke in hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases around the world.

Established in 1966, the ISH supports research, advancement of knowledge, education and promoting awareness through global initiatives such as May Measurement Month which runs this year from 1-31 May. Partnerships include those with the World Hypertension League, The Journal of Hypertension, the International Society of Nephrology, the World Health Organisation and The Lancet. This truly global network facilitates efforts to ensure that best practice is distilled and disseminated. A special focus is given by the ISH through its Regional Advisory Groups to teaching activities in economically disadvantaged countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America. www.ish-world.com

About May Measurement Month

During May 2017, millions of people in nearly 100 countries will have their blood pressure measured in one of the biggest public screening exercises the world’s ever seen. MMM17 is being led by the International Society of Hypertension and the World Hypertension League.
www.maymeasure.com

For more information contact:

Mandy Smith
RPR (positive communications)
07721 471575
mandy@rpr-marketing.co.uk