PGI organises a seminar on prevention and management of hypertension

CHANDIGARH: The department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGI in collaboration with Department of Internal Medicine, PGI is organising a seminar on 'Hypertension: Prevention and Management' on Sunday. Experts from different departments of PGIMER will gather to discuss on hypertension, its prevention and methods to manage it.
The seminar aims to generate awareness regarding prevention and management of hypertension among healthcare professionals, postgraduate medical students, PhD Research Scholars and Paramedical students among others.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, has emerged as one of the most common non-communicable diseases (NCD) across India. According to the District Level Health Survey-4 (2012-13), the state of Punjab solely contributes to 35.7% of the population reeling under the trauma of hypertension, which is above the national figures standing at 25.3%.
According to a non-communicable disease risk factor survey (based on WHO-STEPS approach), conducted in the state of Punjab, among all persons with hypertension, only 30.1% were known case of hypertension or on treatment, among whom nearly 61% had controlled blood pressure. Patients with uncontrolled BP were more frequently male, obese patients, with sedentary lifestyle and patients with diabetes.
After taking these alarming figures into consideration, the experts from different departments of the PGIMER reached a consensus to organise a research-based seminar on hypertension.
With the help of this seminar, the institute will be planning to create and discuss pool of scientific materials, which would add to the designing of hypertension control program with support of government officials, NGOs, and medical fraternity. The seminar would also include experience sharing of programmatic implementation at state and district levels.