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Singapore Heart Foundation Tackles Blood Pressure Management in the Community with Down with Hypertension Programme
Singapore, 18 September 2021 – Come 19 September 2021, Singapore Heart Foundation will introduce the Down with Hypertension programme in conjunction with National Heart Week/World Heart Day 2021 Virtual. Aimed at tackling the rising prevalence of hypertension, the Down with Hypertension Programme seeks to raise awareness about the condition and encourage home monitoring of blood pressure (BP). 500 households are set to receive complimentary BP monitors and benefit through the programme.
Globally, hypertension is a leading cause of death, claiming approximately 10.8 million lives in 20191. In Singapore, the prevalence of hypertension has also risen between 2017 and 20202. About 1 in 4 adults aged 30 to 69 has hypertension, a key risk factor of cardiovascular disease, which claimed 1 in 3 deaths in 2020. Hypertension is often known as a silent killer because it is asymptomatic, and patients may be unaware of their elevated blood pressure until they suffer a heart attack or stroke. Making lifestyle changes and the active monitoring of blood pressure can help in the prevention and early detection of hypertension to reduce the risk of severe complications.
The Down with Hypertension Programme is a one-hour educational workshop conducted by an accredited nutritionist or dietitian with a strong focus on the impact of salt on blood pressure. Excessive intake of salt is known to be a contributing factor for the development of high blood pressure. It is estimated that Singaporeans consume an average of 9g of salt a day, almost double the recommended daily limit, and most of this is contributed by seasonings, salt and sauces added during food preparation.
Participants will learn to identify the source of salt in our everyday food and make sensible choices while grocery shopping or eating out. The programme will also touch on other risk factors related to hypertension, healthy ways to manage hypertension, and the steps to accurately monitor blood pressure at home. Additionally, a complimentary wrist blood pressure monitor will be given to each eligible participant3.
“With 1 in 4 adults in Singapore suffering from hypertension, one person in every household could be living with this chronic condition. It is therefore important for every home to own a BP monitor to keep their BP numbers in check or to detect the condition early. Through the Down with Hypertension Programme, Singapore Heart Foundation hopes to equip more households with a BP monitor and encourage active home monitoring of one’s blood pressure. In addition, we also advocate for all adults above 40 years old to undergo annual health checks and regular blood pressure screening. Early detection and treatment help to save lives,” said Mr Vernon Kang, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Heart Foundation.
The Down with Hypertension Programme is launched on 18 September 2021 by Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Parliamentary Secretary of Health and Communications and Information, as part of the National Heart Week/World Heart Day 2021 activities. The first run of the programme will be delivered in English on 19 September 2021 and in Malay on 2 October 2021 over ZOOM.
“Based on national health statistics, the Malay community has the highest rate of hypertension at 37.5%4, and the highest incidence rate of heart attack5. Likewise, the Malay community also has the lowest screening rates for chronic conditions. With these statistics in mind, Singapore Heart Foundation is working with Malay-Muslim organisations to expand our reach to the community. The Malay version of the Down with Hypertension Programme will be more culturally relevant to the community. We hope this programme will encourage them to adopt positive lifestyle changes and take active steps in health screening to reduce the prevalence of hypertension in Singapore. This is also part of our initiative in supporting the Government to improve health outcomes of the Malay community in Singapore,” said Mr Kang.
1 https://globalheartjournal.com/articles/10.5334/gh.1066/
2 https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/peech-by-ms-rahayu-mahzam-parliamentary-secretary-for-health-at-the-ministry-of-health-committee-of-supply-debate-2021-on-friday-5-march-2021
3 Participants must be from different household.
4 https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/peech-by-ms-rahayu-mahzam-parliamentary-secretary-for-health-at-the-ministry-of-health-committee-of-supply-debate-2021-on-friday-5-march-2021
5 2018 Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry annual report.
https://www.nrdo.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider3/default-document-library/smir-web-report2018.pdf
Press release updated on 15 Feb 2023. A previous version of this press release stated that “high BP is a leading cause of death”. This has been corrected to “hypertension is a leading cause of death”.
