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

Accounting for an estimated 10.4 million deaths each year, arterial hypertension is a worldwide epidemic. However, it is a treatable condition that can be readily recognized with cost-effective blood pressure (BP) measurements. Alongside continuous improvements in BP control and treatment, worldwide strategies aim to achieve a high level of hypertension awareness. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign initiated by the International Society of Hypertension to raise awareness of high BP. Slovenia began with yearly cost-free BP measurements and awareness campaigns in 2005 when World Hypertension Day was announced by the World Hypertension League and in 2017, we joined the MMM initiative. In May 2019, we performed a cross-sectional survey following the standardized MMM protocol. Healthcare personnel obtained BP measurements in a sample of adult subjects (≥18 years) across all regions of the country, mostly in healthcare facilities and pharmacies. In total, 4974 individuals (61.1% female), with a mean age of 59.6 years, were screened. After multiple imputation for missing data, 3037 (61.1%) participants had hypertension. Of individuals not receiving antihypertensive medication, 973 (33.4%) were hypertensive. Of those who reported receiving antihypertensives, 1110 (53.8%) had uncontrolled BP. MMM19 was the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Slovenia so far. We again identified a substantial number of participants with possible hypertension and uncontrolled BP despite taking antihypertensive medication, which were then referred to their general practitioners or dedicated hypertension centres for further evaluation and management. Taken together, our findings underline the importance of opportunistic screening programmes.