Hypertension is one of the most frequent disorders in medical consultations. It is also one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders, the leading causes of death globally. In order to tackle this burden, great efforts have to be made to diagnose, control and treat patients with hypertension early.
Arterial hypertension is easily identifiable and treatable in the initial stage, but it is often silent in this phase. There is a significant amount of hypertensive patients who are not aware of their condition. On many occasions, the development of the disease occurs slowly, progressively, and asymptomatically, and the situation worsens in childhood and adolescence due to the lack of blood pressure measurement at these ages.
The Colombian Heart Foundation, the Interamerican Society of Cardiology, and the Colombian Society of Cardiology celebrate in August the Blood Pressure Month to educate through didactic elements about respiratory care within the ‘Care as a Lifestyle strategy’, promote the knowledge of the heart-lung relationship and teach breathing techniques following the ‘culture of full consciousness’. Their campaign is based on three strategies:
STRATEGY 1. That more people can know their blood pressure figures so that early diagnosis of hypertension can be achieved.
STRATEGY 2. To certify health professionals and caregivers in Blood Pressure Measurement with a free virtual course.
STRATEGY 3. To offer lifestyle recommendations to prevent and control hypertension.
“Measuring blood pressure is not a difficult process, but it requires following a series of steps to ensure the results match the reality. All health professionals should learn how to measure blood pressure. While doctors and nurses learn this at school, other non-medical health professionals such as physical therapists, nutritionists, respiratory therapists, physical educators and dentists are unaware of the process, and a hypertension control programne cannot be optimal without an adequate blood pressure measurement system”, says Juan Carlos Santacruz, CEO of the Colombian Heart Foundation.
The Online Blood Pressure Measurement Course is designed with a compendium of steps, conditions and forecasts to ensure accurate high blood pressure readings. Designed by the Omron Academy and endorsed by the European Society Hypertension, the Colombian Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery and the Colombian Heart Foundation, the course ensures a fast learning process of measuring the blood pressure of your patients. To enroll, please communicate your interest to [email protected].
