Armenian doctors out on the streets to measure blood pressure free of charge

A large-scale initiative to diagnose arterial pressure problems has been launched by Armenian specialists together with international colleagues. The program will run from 5 to 23 June. It will cover Yerevan and other cities of the republic.

Doctors will offer the service out on the streets, in places of high foot traffic.

One of the initiators, Yerevan’s Chief Cardiologist Professor Parunak Zelveyan, believes that the campaign will increase the likelihood of the timely detection of problems among residents of the country and increase their medical literacy:

“There is a misconception among our population: For example, if my neighbor is helped by ‘blood pressure medicine X’, then it will certainly help me too. But experts are trained to address individual patients’ symptoms in determining what medicine will help.”

Parunak Zelveyan also stressed that with timely detection ailments could be kept under control:

“Patients do not die from the disease itself, but because they do not receive effective treatment in a timely manner.”

Arterial hypertension has been referred to as the ‘illness of the century’. About 10 million people die annually worldwide from cardiovascular diseases set off by increased arterial pressure.

About 30% of the Armenian population suffers from the disease. This group is mostly comprised of patients aged 70 years and over.