Blood pressure screening campaign “May Measurement Month 2017”: An analysis of screening in Spanish community pharmacies

Introduction: May Measurement Month is a global project that aims to raise awareness among the population in all participating countries, including Spain, of the importance of regular measurement of blood pressure (BP).

Aim: The primary objective of this research is to raise awareness among the Spanish population through the community pharmacies of the importance of knowing their BP figures in order to prevent problems resulting from poor control.

Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in community pharmacies of the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities during the month of May 2017. Volunteer adults participated.

Primary endpoints: systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and heart rate in beats per minute.

Results: 3.267 measurements were performed by 190 pharmacists. 25.6% of participants had high BP figures. 40.6% of the total were treated for hypertension. 40.2% of those on treatment had uncontrolled BP. 43.3% of participants with high BP figures were untreated.

Conclusions: MMM17 campaign was spread through community pharmacies in all Autonomous Communities and has allowed to carry out BP measurements in patients who had never been measured and/or who had it measured more than a year ago.

A quarter of the population showed high BP values. The degree of control in participants with antihypertensive treatment was poor and almost half of those with elevated BP values were untreated.