May Measurement Month 2017 in Russia: hypertension treatment and control-Europe

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide, leading to over 10 million deaths each year. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative by the International Society of Hypertension aimed at raising awareness of high BP and to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programs worldwide. The most recent publication compared data from three surveys performed in Russian population aged 25-64 showed that the prevalence of hypertension increased by approximately 20% from 2003 to 2013. This study presents screening data collected in 2017 though the MMM17 initiative in Russia. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2017 in 19 Russian cities. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension, and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. The recruitment of MMM17 participants in Russia occurred in shopping malls, colleges and universities, supermarkets, business centres, parks, and squares. Russian young cardiologists as an official section of Russian Society of Cardiology was actively involved. A total of 5660 individuals were screened. After multiple imputation, 2709 (47.9%) had hypertension. Of individuals not receiving antihypertensive medication, 753 (20.3%) were hypertensive. Of individuals receiving antihypertensive medication, 1094 (55.9%) had uncontrolled BP. Comparing with the worldwide results of MMM17 screening, Russian participants had a higher proportion of hypertension, comparable antihypertensive prescription rate, and worse hypertension control. Thus, the MMM17 project appears to be an important step in evaluating hypertension burden in Russia and emphasizes the further need to improve hypertension awareness, treatment, and control

Heart and pulmonary artery remodeling association with various levels of natriuretic peptides and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation in patients with pulmonary hypertension of various etiology

Aim. To study the associations between heart and pulmonary artery (PA) remodeling severity, according to echocardiography data, natriuretic peptide (NUP) levels, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation among patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) of various etiology.Material and methods. The study involved 111 patients with PH, including 30 subjects with idiopathic PH (IPH), 16with chronic PA thromboembolia (PATE), 19 with systemic scleroderma (SS), 15 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 18 with congenital heart disease (CHD), 13 with residual PH (RPH), as well as 21 healthy controls. In all participants, echocardiography, EchoCG (Vivid 7, GE, USA) and measurement of plasma brain and atrial NUP, angiotensin II (AT II) and plasma renin activity (PRA) were performed.Results. Significant increase in NUP levels was observed in all subgroups, especially in those with PATE and IPH. RAAS activation was detected in all subgroups excluding those with COPD, being maximal in SS subgroup. In all subgroups, dilatation of right heart chambers and PA trunk, as well as decrease in right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction (EF), was observed. Heart remodeling severity was maximal in subjects with IPH, CHD, and PATE, and minimal - in those with SS and COPD, which is consistent with PA systolic pressure and RVEF levels in respective subgroups.Conclusion. Heart remodeling was observed in all PH patients, being maximal in IPH, CHD, and PATE subgroups. Elevated NUP level, registered in all PH subjects, was highest in PATE and IPH subgroups. Significantly increased levels of PRA and AT II were observed in SS, IPH, and PATE individuals, with maximal RAAS activation among SS patients