High blood pressure project backed by French company kicks off

Project Umbrella, a comprehensive blood pressure and lipid management project for Chinese patients with hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors, kicks off in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Sunday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Project Umbrella, a comprehensive blood pressure and lipid management project for patients with hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors, kicked off Sunday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, sponsored by Servier China, the French pharmaceutical's Chinese branch.

With a large aging population under the combined impact of urbanization and unhealthy lifestyles, China is seeing a high prevalence of high blood pressure, which has become a leading risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, experts said.

The project aims to combine online platforms with hospitals at different levels, facilitating doctors to educate and manage patients with hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors, so as to optimize clinic blood pressure and lipid management in an all-around manner, according to Huo Yong, vice-president of China Cardiovascular Alliance, and a chief physician of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Peking University First Hospital.

The incidence and mortality for cardiovascular disease in China are still on the rise, partly because of poor control over high blood pressure, according to Zeng Wenming, secretary-general of the China Cardiovascular Alliance.

The project will also unite research institutes, clinicians and enterprises to raise awareness of hypertension and standardize diagnostics and treatments that help to lower blood pressure and lipids, Zeng said.

The project will be guided by the China Cardiovascular Association and hosted by China Heart House.