For immediate release - 2005-23 OTTAWA, Ontario (May 10, 2005) - The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister of Health, today attended the World Hypertension Day Blood Pressure Measurement Clinic on Parliament Hill. Minister Dosanjh joined health care professionals, researchers, voluntary and industry representatives to promote knowledge and awareness of high blood pressure (hypertension). "In Canada, there are approximately five million Canadians living with high blood pressure, but it is estimated that more than 40% of them are not aware of their condition," said Minister Dosanjh. "Public education and patient education are critical to improve awareness of hypertension and to empower the public to take action." National Hypertension Societies around the world will be promoting awareness of hypertension (high blood pressure) in their respective countries as part of World Hypertension Day (WHD), May 14. In Canada, the Canadian Hypertension Society, the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Blood Pressure Canada, the Quebec Hypertension Society, and the Public Health Agency have joined forces to support this initiative. High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs when the force of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels is too high. High blood pressure can cause damage to vital organs like the heart, brain or kidneys. "Health research is the foundation for improving the health of Canadians and for developing new, more cost-effective treatments," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). "Investment in health research can produce key insights in the prevention and treatment of hypertension," said Dr. Bruce McManus, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health." "For example, a recent breakthrough by one of our leading researchers, Dr. Pavel Hamet and his North American team, in the genetics of hypertension could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of hypertension." "Research is critical to furthering our understanding of hypertension, as is getting health information into the hands of Canadians so that they can protect their own health. Despite everything we know, only 16% of Canadians who have been diagnosed with hypertension have the condition under control," said Sally Brown, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. "The Foundation is part of World Hypertension Day because Canadians need to know how important it is to detect and treat hypertension in order to prevent heart disease and stroke." Lifestyle choices such as physical activity, low salt consumption, eating a balanced diet, minimizing the consumption of alcohol, avoidance of smoking, and maintaining healthy body weight are means to prevent and control the occurrence of elevated blood pressure. "When lifestyle interventions do not control blood pressure adequately, a variety of medications are available to bring the blood pressure down and protect patients from the further complications of heart disease and stroke," said Dr. Richard Lewanczuk, President of the Canadian Hypertension Society. "Compared to the U.S., the blood pressure prevalence rates in Canada are higher, but still lower, than in many European Countries," said Dr. Arun Chocklingam, from CIHR and National Coordinator of the World Hypertension Day in Canada. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 9,000 researchers and trainees, and research teams in every province of Canada. http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/ The Heart and Stroke Foundation (www.heartandstroke.ca) is a leading funder of heart and stroke research in Canada. The Foundation's mission is to improve the health of Canadians by preventing and reducing disability and death from heart disease and stroke through research, health promotion and advocacy. The Canadian Hypertension Society was formally established in 1979 by a group of Canadian health professional interested in improving hypertension research, education and patient care. Its mandate is to promote the prevention and control of hypertension through research and education. -30- For more information on this event, the world hypertension day, or the breakthrough in hypertension research, please contact: Adèle Blanchard, Office of Minister Dosanjh (613) 957-0200 Janet Weichel McKenzie, Canadian Institutes of Health Research(613) 447-4794 Heather Rourke, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada(613) 569-4361 ext. 318 Dr. Richard Lewanczuk, Canadian Hypertension Society(780) 407-6277 Backgrounder World Hypertension DayMay 14, 2005 has been declared as the World Hypertension Day (WHD) by the World Hypertension League. The purpose of World Hypertension Day (WHD) is to communicate to the public the importance of hypertension and its serious medical complications, and to provide information on prevention, detection and treatment. Canadian research breakthrough in genetics of hypertension A team led by Dr. Pavel Hamet of Montreal studied 120 French-Canadian families in the Saguenay-Lac St. Jean region in Quebec for genetic markers for hypertension on their chromosomes. Researchers found 46 significant chromosomal areas associated with hypertension and its cardiovascular and metabolic consequences. The research team ran tests on the families, examining all forms of cardiovascular function and scanning their genomes. Patients were screened for 250 clinical characteristics and their genome was scanned with 400 genetic markers. Dr. Hamet's work is supported through the 'Gene-Environment Interactions in Circulatory and Respiratory Health' program led by the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. In 2002, his team was awarded an Interdisciplinary Health Research Team (IHRT) grant for a total of $2.6 million over five years. The aim of this research is to better understand genetic and environmental interactions - something that is already happening after four years, and should lead soon to the development of targeted and preventive interventions in cardiovascular disorders. CIHR Investment in Hypertension ResearchCIHR, private and public stakeholders fund research on hypertension across Canada. Particularly, through CIHR, Canada's leading federal health research agency, funding has been provided for approximately 380 grants and awards on hypertension, from molecules to population. CIHR funding for hypertension related research grew steadily from $7.232 million in 2000-01 to $15.57 million in 2004-05. Blood Pressure Control Rates:A recent analysis of those people who have high blood pressure in six European countries, the United States and Canada revealed that the prevalence rates in North America were lower than in Europe. However, within North America, the blood pressure control rates, that is, people with blood pressure who were treated and brought their blood pressure levels below 140 mm Hg systolic and 90 mmHg diastolic, were lower in Canada than in the United States. The study also reported that 53% of hypertensive patients in the United States were on medication while in Canada only 36% were on medication. Adherence to lifestyle advice and medication appear to be low among Canadian hypertensive patients. - 30 -
