Glenmark, Omron join hands to create awareness on blood pressure monitoring

Glenmark Pharma on Wednesday said it has joined hands with OMRON Healthcare India, the Indian arm of the Japanese medtech company that’s known for its blood pressure monitoring devices to create awareness among 18 years and above to monitor blood pressure at home.

Through the campaign called “Take Charge @18” both the companies are aiming to reach out to around 92,000 healthcare professionals and around 10 crore Indians in one year.

Glenmark has initiated discussions with 94 cardiologists acrossIndia, leading to a unanimous consensus that 18 is the ideal age to commence blood pressure screening.
This expert consensus statement was published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (JAPI) in 2020.

“The lack of specific guidelines on the right age to begin blood pressure screening has led to neglect in initiating checks, leaving many individuals vulnerable to hypertension and its complications,” the companies said.

The initiative consists of generating effective communication to enhance awareness around the cause of hypertension by incorporating an inlay card into every OMRON Blood Pressure monitor sold in India.The message conveys the importance of initiating blood pressure screening at the right age which is 18 years.The objective is to encourage patients and caregivers who come across this inlay card to sensitize at least four family members of or above the age of 18 to start monitoring their blood pressure and make it a part of their health regime. This message will also be seamlessly integrated into the OMRON Connect app, ensuring it reaches all its subscribers and also on OMRON social media and websites.

“There has been a concerning rise in the incidence of hypertension among young adults in India, with about 10‐30% of young adults (40 years of age) suffering from high blood pressure in the country,” said Alok Malik, executive vice president & head of India formulations at Glenmark.

“Together, we aim to empower individuals to proactively safeguard their health from a young age,” Malik said.

“Partnering with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals for the ‘Take Charge @18’ campaign aligns perfectly with our vision of ‘Going for Zero’ promoting home blood pressure monitoring as one of the key preventive healthcare practices to significantly reduce hypertension‐led diseases such as stroke and heart failure,” said Tetsuya Yamada, MD of OMRON Healthcare India.

“Our internal studies indicate that the penetration rate of blood pressure monitors usage amongst hypertensive patients in India remains low at around 2% only. By integrating the campaign’s message into our products and services we aim to inspire millions to lead healthier lives,” Yamada said.

According to a recent cross‐sectional study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 2023, the prevalence of hypertension has witnessed a concerning rise, reaching 35.5% for people in the age group of over 20 compared to 29.8% in 2014. In urban areas, this prevalence is even
higher, soaring to 40.7%.