— Health Ministry advises on World Hypertension Day

RECOGNISING that there exists many challenges in identifying and caring for patients with hypertension, the Ministry of Health will embark on the HEARTS project.

This initiative will be spearheaded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and aims to reduce some of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.

In observance of World Hypertension Day on Monday, under the theme “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, and Live Longer”, the ministry noted that Guyana is not exempt from the many challenges associated with hypertension, or high blood pressure as it is commonly known.

High blood pressure is considered a ‘silent killer’ as it often presents vague symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, over time, once uncontrolled it commonly leads to chronic kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, dementia and even death.

A message from the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on World Hypertension Day noted that with stroke and ischemic heart disease, arising from hypertension, consistently being among the top three causes of death in Guyana, the implementation of the HEARTS initiative aims to reduce premature death and disability from hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

HEARTS is the acronym for Healthy lifestyle counselling, Evidence-based protocols, Access to essential medicines and technology, Risk-based cardiovascular disease management, Team-based care and Systems for monitoring. It is fundamentally evidence-based practice in diagnosing and treating arterial hypertension.

According to the PAHO website, HEARTS is being implemented and expanded in 16 countries of the region of the America, to include 739 health centres across the region, which together covers approximately 7.5 million adults in the respective catchment areas.

PAHO’s aim is that the HEARTS model will be the model for cardiovascular disease risk management, including hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia in primary health care in the region of the Americas by 2025.

An estimated 1.13 billion persons globally, with more than two-thirds living in low- and middle-income countries, are affected by hypertension, with men being slightly more at risk than women. However, fewer than one in five people with hypertension are well controlled worldwide.

According to the Guyana STEPS Survey conducted in 2016, 18.4 per cent of Guyanese who were found to have raised (high) blood pressure were not on medication, the Health Minister noted in his message.

He noted that nationwide implementation of HEARTS will standardise the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, and medical practitioners will be more equipped with evidence-based knowledge at the community level.

The project will also see the review and procurement of more effective medicines to treat high blood pressure and the screening services offered to the population will be more efficient to allow for cases to be detected earlier.

This will see a lowering of complications and death rates arising from hypertension and the Ministry of Health expects to see significant positive outcomes from the HEARTS project, within two to five years, Anthony said.

“Despite the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, work has begun on this transformative project for primary healthcare in keeping with this government’s vision to develop an adequate, well-trained, competent, and compassionate healthcare workforce,” Anthony said in his message.

The Health Minister in his World Hypertension Day message encouraged citizens to learn how to measure their blood pressure and how to control, to live longer. He urged that persons request their health care providers to teach them how to measure their pressure.

“Make sure that you check your blood pressure regularly to ensure that it is controlled. In addition, if you are on medication for hypertension, make sure that you take your treatment as prescribed by your doctor, avoid skipping your tablets,” he noted.

Dr. Anthony also commended all health care professionals for their commitment and efforts in ensuring that persons with hypertension are properly diagnosed, managed and controlled and charged stakeholders to work together to reduce the burden of the “disease”.