Every May 17 is International Hypertension Day. This year, the current pandemic linked to the spread of Covid-19 provides an opportunity to recall the importance of this risk factor and the need to raise awareness about the importance of getting diagnosed.
Nearly half of people with hypertension are unaware that they have it, as they do not show any signs or symptoms. Some studies have also linked hypertension to the risk of worsening in Covid-19 patients.
Hypertension is considered a silent disease, affecting approximately 1.13 billion people* worldwide. It is the leading risk of mortality worldwide (heart disease, stroke).
The only way to know if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure controlled.
Since 2018, Servier has been supporting the global initiative of screening for hypertension, led by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH), through its #BecauseIsayso campaign.
But screening is not enough: when treated, half of patients no longer adhere to their treatment after only 6 months. Moreover, during the pandemic, it has been identified that 10% of patients with chronic diseases, including hypertensive patients, stopped their treatment.
Servier is therefore implementing a new #BecauseIsayso information campaign for patients to increase their adherence to antihypertensive treatment with messages specific to the pandemic situation.
“The BecauseIsayso campaign, developed WITH patients FOR patients, has proven to be a very effective means of communication. We therefore wanted to use this campaign to share messages about hypertension during this health crisis when patients are less vigilant in monitoring their chronic disease. Servier immediately received support from the ISH.”
David Pedelabat, Hypertension Director at Servier
50 years of Servier’s commitment to serving hypertensive patients
In 50 years, Servier has become a major global player in the field of hypertension. From the discovery of the first molecule to the development of numerous fixed combinations as well as the development of digital devices to support patients beyond treatment alone, the Group has built a reputation for innovation and excellence and continues to invest in serving patients.
What solutions are available to manage hypertension?
- Hypertension is responsible for 1 in 8 (12.8%) deaths worldwide.
- 50% of people with hypertension do not know they have it.
* Williams B et al. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(33):3021-3104. World Health Organization. A global brief on hypertension: silent killer, public health crisis. April 2013.