Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud

The aim of the May Measurement Month (MMM) is devoted to better understanding the awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension in Spain. Presented here are the data corresponding to 2019 campaign. In 2019, a total of 4433 patients (61.5% males) with a mean age of 54.8 years were included. Of all, 96.0% were Caucasian, and 3294 were recruited in pharmacies. The mean values of systolic blood pressure (BP) were 125.6 and of diastolic 76.7mmHg in the whole population. The most recent previous BP measurement took place more than 1 year before in 27.6% of participants. A total of 1883 were hypertensive (systolic BP 140 mmHg or diastolic BP 90mmHg or taking antihypertensive medication), of whom 77.2%/were aware and 71.1% were onmedication. Of all, 64.9% of those on medication and 46.1% of all hypertensive participants had a BP controlled to <140/90mmHg. These data from MMM 2019 continue to indicate the need for an improvement in the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Spain.

May Measurement Month 2017 is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of high blood pressure (BP) and to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programs worldwide, in which Spain participated actively. The primary objective was to raise awareness and increase control of BP in Spain. An opportunistic crosssectional survey of volunteers aged 18 was set up in May 2017. Following the design of the International Society of Hypertension, data were collected from the 17 autonomous communities in which Spain is divided, mainly in community pharmacies, primary care centres and some hypertension (HT) units, and cardiovascular departments in hospitals. No additional training of volunteers was necessary. A total of 3849 individuals were screened. After multiple imputation, our data showed that 1923 (50.0%) had HT. In those not receiving antihypertensive medication, 17.5% were hypertensives, in individuals receiving antihypertensive medication, 33.9% had uncontrolled BP. May Measurement Month 2017 was the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Spain. In total, 17.5% of people with HT did not receive medication. One-third of hypertensive participants receiving treatment did not have their BP controlled. These results confirm that an opportunistic screening can identify a significant number of subjects with and untreated and inadequately treated BP.