KYOTO, Japan, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd. based in Muko, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, announces to be the official sponsor of May Measurement Month (MMM,) a global campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure screening and promote hypertension prevention, detection, and control. MMM was established by the International Society of Hypertension in 2017, and since then the Company has participated in this global campaign. A cumulative total of about 26,000 blood pressure monitors have been donated to 100 countries and regions, supporting over 6 million people in total taking their blood pressures so far. May 17 is set to be the World Hypertension Day, and there are diverse events organized by regional societies and committees worldwide. Through this initiative, the Company supports the measurement of blood pressure in hypertensive patients and the early detection of atrial fibrillation, which is considered a life-threatening arrhythmia.

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Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day in response to a variety of factors such as temperature, humidity, and physical factors including stress. Therefore, it is essential to monitor blood pressure at home in addition to regular health checkups at medical facilities. A study found that high blood pressure is estimated to cause more than 10 million deaths worldwide every year. Another research in Japan shows that 40% of hypertension patients are unaware of their symptoms or leave them untreated even if they are aware of the condition (*1). If hypertension is left untreated, it may cause an increase in the risk of life-threatening heart/brain diseases such as stroke and heart failure. On the other hand, early detection and proper management are well-known to prevent these types of diseases from progressing. OMRON's goal in participating in this campaign is to improve the awareness of home blood pressure monitoring and the early detection of diseases.

In 2024, the MMM campaign stretches from May 1 to July 31 building on the World Hypertension Day on May 17 and a global screening campaign will take place for more than 1 million people over the age of 18. For those who visit the event sites, a series of professional advice, including nutritious therapy, lifestyle improvement and blood pressure management, will be provided and a test to measure the risk level of atrial fibrillation is available if they wish. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cause of cardioembolic stroke and can be a source of cardiogenic brain embolism. Research shows that hypertensive patients have an incidence of atrial fibrillation three times higher than normal people (*2). This year, the Company will donate 3,200 sets of upper-arm blood pressure monitors (BPMs), including a new model with built-in ECG that allows users to record ECG while monitoring their blood pressure with the aim of supporting the early detection of atrial fibrillation in hypertension patients.

The Company has supported home blood pressure measurement campaigns worldwide to achieve its vision of Going for ZERO (zero cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases). OMRON will continue to engage in awareness-raising activities for home blood pressure measurement and ECG recording to support the early detection of cardiovascular disease risks.

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(*1) The Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension (JSH 2019)
(*2) Senoo K,Yukawa A, Ohkura T, et al. Screening for untreated atrial fibrillation in the elderly population: A community-based study. Pizzi C, ed. PLoS ONE.2022;17(6):e0269506.

SOURCE OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd.