May Measurement Month 2023: results of an opportunistic blood pressure screening campaign in Vietnam

The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Vietnam in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at multiple sites across various provinces and cities throughout Vietnam. Three seated BP readings were taken from 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 missing BP readings. In total, 10,944 adults were screened, with a mean age of 53.5 years and 52.3% were female. Of all participants, 4,905 (44.8%) had hypertension, of whom 3,673 (74.9%) were aware, and 3,584 (73.1%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 1,925 (53.7%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 39.2% had controlled BP. The MMM campaign in Vietnam identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. These findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened national strategies to improve hypertension screening, treatment accessibility, and long-term blood pressure control.