SERVIER POLAND ORGANISER OF THE SERVIER FOR THE HEART CAMPAIGN
SET A POLISH RECORD IN THE CATEGORY:
MOST PEOPLE MEASURING THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE AT THE SAME TIME!
On 6 October, nearly 200 people took their blood pressure at the same time at the Stodoła club in Warsaw.
The event, organised by Servier Polska, was held as part of the 19th edition of Servier's nationwide prevention and education campaign for the Heart under the slogan "Go for the record. Win against hypertension!". It was aimed at drawing attention to the fact that systematic blood pressure measurement is the easiest way to detect the disease.
It was the first time in the history of Poland that such a large group of people gathered in one place and took on this important health challenge. The requirement to start measuring blood pressure at the same time was the participation of at least 100 people. A total of 186 people over the age of 18 joined the action at the Stodoła Club. There were also subject matter experts, representatives of patient organisations and volunteers.
The participants were cheered on by Piotr Gruszka - volleyball player, coach, record-holder in terms of the number of matches played in the Polish national team and Ambassador of the 19th edition of the Servier for Heart campaign: "A record is one of the most important challenges and at the same time a huge source of satisfaction for any athlete. The event in which I took part, so different from the sporting struggle, made me realise how important prevention is in our lives, thanks to which we win something more than just another trophy on the shelf - in this battle, the stakes are much higher - health and even life. All the more so, I treat this latest record, which was also set thanks to my involvement, absolutely exceptionally - it is closer to my heart - literally and figuratively."
"Hypertension is one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but measuring blood pressure - it's extremely easy, as all participants at the event could see. - underlines Ewa Ciepałowicz, CSR and Internal Communication Manager of Servier Polska, representative of the organiser of the Servier for Heart prevention and education campaign. I would like to thank everyone who participated in such large numbers in setting a Polish record. I hope that the unconventional way in which we drew attention to hypertension will further contribute to raising public awareness of the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Let's control our blood pressure, because it really is worth it!".
Around 12 million Poles suffer from hypertension. This number is an estimate, as many people are unaware that both the condition itself and the risks associated with it can affect them. According to the National Health Fund, in 2018 already more than a third of the Polish population suffered from hypertension, meaning that nearly 10 million people have been diagnosed. The pandemic and the growing health debt have not improved the situation not only in Poland, but also worldwide.
Hypertension is an insidious disease and is usually not initially accompanied by any noticeable discomfort, and if the first symptoms do appear, they are not always characteristic enough to arouse suspicion. Unfortunately, it is only when a heart attack or stroke occurs that untreated hypertension can reveal that it has reached an advanced stage. The scale of the problem is evidenced by the fact that nearly 120,000 strokes and over 930,000 heart attacks are recorded in Poland every year.
Hypertension is recognised as a disease of civilisation and no longer affects only the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in much younger people - even in 30-year-olds. Therefore, the criteria for diagnosis are becoming increasingly restrictive. Previously, 140/90 mmHg was considered the normal level. Nowadays, such a result should attract our attention and lead to daily measurement and cardiological consultation. The normal blood pressure for people under 65 years of age is 120-129/70-79 mmHg. With age, these parameters increase slightly, so that seniors may have a blood pressure of 130-139/70-79 mmHg, while those over 80 years of age may have a blood pressure of 130-149/70-79 mmHg. The development of the disease is largely determined by genetic factors, but especially by overweight and poor diet, lack of physical activity stress and the use of stimulants.
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The slogan "Go for the record. Win against hypertension" accompanies the 19th edition of Servier's nationwide prevention and education campaign for the Heart, whose main message is "Measure your blood pressure, because it's worth it!" This year, the campaign has been entirely dedicated to building awareness and education towards the benefits of controlling and properly treating hypertension.
This year's campaign was supported by the Polish Cardiac Society and the Polish Hypertension Society.
The campaign has received patronage from: Nationwide Association of Patients with Heart and Vascular Diseases ECOSerce, Polish Association of People with Heart Failure and the Institute for Patient Rights and Health Education.
Read more about the campaign at www.dbajoserce.pl, www.facebook.com/dbajoserce