Category: hypertension

Confronting the Silent Killer in Nepal

May Measurement Month volunteers screen local resident outside of a temple in Pokhara, Nepal. Photo credit: Kiran Adhikari

“We are measuring the blood pressure of many people who’ve never had their blood pressure measured before,” explains Dr. Dinesh Neupane, the country coordinator for May Measurement Month in Nepal. “When we approach people about being screened, we often hear that they don’t need their blood pressure checked because they feel healthy.” But Dr. Neupane Read More >

Posted on by Bethany HallTags , , , ,

Experiences from the Field: Innovative Approaches to Improving Heart Health in Malawi

Dr. Alice Maida (2ndd from right) and staff from MSH and the Malawi Ministry of Health visiting a high burden HIV clinic in rural Malawi.

As a Medical Program Specialist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Malawi, I provide HIV technical support at the national and site level. My public health practitioner work with the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) national HIV program and PEPFAR implementing partners has provided many opportunities to engage in implementation science Read More >

Posted on by Alice Maida, MD, MPH, CDC Malawi1 CommentTags , , , ,

Accelerating an Integrated Approach to NCD Prevention and Control Globally

road traffic accidents

Over the past 18 years, I’ve worked with Ministries of Health and other partners in 180 countries to advance CDC’s overarching global health goals and accelerate strategies for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. NCDs and injuries are responsible for millions of premature deaths, especially in low- and middle-income counties (LMICs). Read More >

Posted on by Dr. Samira Asma, Chief, Global NCD Program, CDC2 CommentsTags , , , , , , ,

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, has become a global crisis

Patient at the Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic in Barbados having her blood pressure taken.

In the United States, 67 million or 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure (>140/90 mmHg), and only about half of these adults have their condition under control. Worldwide, high blood pressure is estimated to cause 9 million preventable deaths, and is expected to increase. Commonly referred to as the “silent killer” because it Read More >

Posted on by Pragna Patel, MD, MPH (CGH) and Barbara A. Bowman, PhD (NCCDPHP)1 CommentTags , ,

My journey into Global Health: Dr. Pragna Patel

Dr. Pragna Patel says “Taking the road less travelled and working for CDC on HIV and NCD has been a worthwhile journey” As a young girl growing up in New York City, I would often help out at my father’s pediatric clinic in an indigent neighborhood of the Bronx.  My father was a caring and Read More >

Posted on by Dr. Pragna Patel, CDC1 CommentTags , , , ,

Two Initiatives Worth Their Salt: Reducing Sodium Intake in Philadelphia and Shandong, China

September 29 is World Heart Day.

Background information CDC’s 2013 Vital Signs publication reported that more than 200,000 deaths among Americans younger than age 75 are preventable. These deaths from heart disease and stroke, both primary contributors to cardiovascular disease (CVD), could be prevented through better lifestyle practices and better care. Heart disease and stroke are two of our nation’s leading Read More >

Posted on by Barbara Bowman, Ph.D., Director, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDCTags , , , , , , , ,