Key result
Opportunistic BP screening detects hypertension in ~37% of adults, with poor overall control.
Why the study?
The May Measurement Month campaign was conducted to raise awareness of raised BP in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Cross-Sectional (n=2,201)
Yes
An opportunistic screening campaign in the UK and Ireland revealed a high burden of undetected and inadequately treated hypertension, with only 18.6% of hypertensive individuals achieving blood pressure control.
Supports community BP screening campaigns; leaves open whether awareness translates to sustained control.
The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at hospitals, general practice surgeries, community pharmacies, universities, gyms, and other public places. Three seated BP readings were taken for each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate one or two missing BP readings. In total, 2,201 were screened, with a mean age of 51.9 years and 51.2% were female. Of all participants, 821 (37.3%) had hypertension, of whom 393 (47.9%) were aware, and 300 (36.5%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 152 (50.8%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 18.6% had controlled BP. Hypertension was more common in males, whilst awareness, antihypertensive medication use, and BP control were lower. Hypertension awareness and antihypertensive medication use were particularly low in adults aged <50 years. The MMM campaign in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom identified substantial numbers of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. This evidence reinforces the urgent need for more effective hypertension detection and control strategies to abate the rising hypertension burden.
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Stone et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=2,201). Opportunistic blood pressure screening was evaluated on Hypertension prevalence. Opportunistic blood pressure screening of 2,201 adults identified hypertension in 37.3% of participants, with only 18.6% of those with hypertension having controlled blood pressure.