Q&A: Morning hypertension

There is an increasing awareness of the significance behind tracking blood pressure measurements in the morning—higher blood pressure readings in the morning could indicate a greater risk for morning hypertension that readings taken in the afternoon or evening will not uncover.

Drug Store News caught up with Chuck Dushman, Omron director of retail marketing, for the latest on morning hypertension.

Drug Store News: Is morning hypertension a relatively new classification of hypertension?

Chuck Dushman: It has been well-documented…that the early-morning hours present the highest incidence of heart attacks and strokes. The latest medical literature points to morning hypertension and morning blood pressure surge as being important risk factors for strokes. This becomes an important issue when you consider that more than half of the patients on antihypertensive medications have morning hypertension, putting them at up to a threefold increased risk of stroke. It is possible that their medications are wearing off while they sleep, putting them at added risk.

Drug Store News: How is Omron driving awareness among consumers?

Dushman: For the past six months Omron has been reaching out to the pharmacist and technician communities to both educate them on morning hypertension and provide them with tools to use with their patients. All of these materials, which include patient handouts, pharmacist tip sheets and CE courses, are available for reference and printing at www.morningbp.com.

This effort has been in advance of communicating directly with consumers to allow the medical community to have the information prior to their customers’ inquiries. Omron soon will begin a major consumer awareness campaign encompassing consumer print and broadcast mediums with very strong morning hypertension messaging. Omron and the American Heart Association are developing public service announcements to increase consumer awareness regarding the risks of morning hypertension.

Drug Store News: Will this represent an incremental opportunity—people with monitors looking to upgrade their monitor’s functionality—or is this a best-in-class concept for customers new to the category?

Dushman: About 2-out-of-3 blood pressure monitor purchasers are current owners and have been living with hypertension. In research with these consumers, they’ve told us that they will spend more money for a home blood pressure monitor that helps them detect their risk of morning hypertension. And Omron has the first home blood pressure monitors cleared by the FDA to help detect morning hypertension. These devices utilize proprietary technology to alert the patient if his or her morning blood pressure exceeds the American Heart Association guidelines for normal blood pressure.