On 1st May, in partnership with the International Society of Hypertension (ISH), Servier is launching its first global public awareness campaign “Because I Say So” to stress the importance of measuring blood pressure, in support of the May Measurement Month (MMM) initiative.

Hypertension: a global public health challenge 

As the leading cause of morbi-mortality in the world (death from a disease), responsible for 9.4 million deaths per year, hypertension currently affects close to 1.13 billion patients.

Moreover, only one in two people with high blood pressure is diagnosed and only one in ten undergo treatment.

In fact, hypertension is a so-called “silent” disease, in other words it has very little impact on the daily life of sufferers.

Without any symptoms, how do you know you are ill and secondly, what is the point of then pursuing daily treatment?

Although hardly noticeable in everyday life, over the long term hypertension fatigues and damages all organs, in particular the heart, lungs and even the kidneys. As such, it is essential to detect the disease early and manage it.

 

Because I Say So Campaign 

With its vast experience in cardiology and as the world’s second biggest player, Servier is now committed with ISH to avoiding the consequences of hypertension in the life of patients and is launching a campaign to encourage people to get tested.

Why Because I say so?

Do you remember when your parents used to tell you what to do?

– Go and brush your teeth

– Why??

– Because I say so!

This campaign reverses the roles and brings a new approach to raising awareness of hypertension by encouraging young adults to motivate their parents and relatives (those at risk) to check their blood pressure, either at the doctor’s or in the blood pressure testing centres set up by ISH.

Through the website www.becauseisayso.net and publications on social networks, Servier is providing links throughout May for sending a personalised electronic card to relatives to motivate them to check their blood pressure or locate the blood pressure measuring stations.

Unlike hypertension which is a silent disease, feel free to make your voices heard and spread the #BecauseIsayso campaign on social networks!