Details of the methods and results of MMM19 have been published previously. In summary, the MMM19 campaign was a cross-sectional opportunistic survey of the BP levels of adults (aged ≥18 years) who volunteered to be screened. Screening sites were set up in a wide range of places from clinical settings such as hospitals and pharmacies to public spaces, such as supermarkets. Three sitting BP readings were obtained on each screenee using standardized methods and the mean of the last two was used in the analyses.
Those screenees found to have BP levels in the hypertensive range (systolic BP ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg) were given advice on diet and lifestyle to help reduce their BP and locally tailored advice to facilitate further follow-up of their raised BP. Prior to BP measurement, a brief questionnaire was administered collecting data on demographic, medical, social, and lifestyle variables.
Data were collected from 1 508 130 screenees from 92 countries in 2019. Almost one third (32%) of screenees had never had their BP measured previously and 34% of all screenees were found to be hypertensive (systolic BP ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication). Of those with hypertension, 59% were aware of their condition and 55% were receiving antihypertensive treatment. Of those on treatment, 58% were controlled to <140/90 mmHg and 29% to <130/80 mmHg and only 50% were taking two or more antihypertensive agents. Overall, only 32% of hypertensive screenees were controlled to <140/90 mmHg and 350 825 (23%) of all screenees had untreated or inadequately treated hypertension.