The early findings on the prevalence of high blood pressure among the 18+ population in Byurakan community of Aragatsotn province are worrisome, but manageable if proper intervention is in place.
In October 2024, 1,700 residents of Byurakan, both young and old, were randomly selected for blood pressure screenings. The majority were unaware they had high blood pressure. Ruzanna Sharkhatunyan, Byurakan’s family doctor with 21 years of experience, regrets that the worrying results come from a variety of factors.
“Unfortunately, many people don’t visit specialists because they think high blood pressure is normal, or they’ve never measured it at all. We discovered many new cases of hypertension among both younger and older residents. What’s encouraging is that through FAR’s Hypertension Management Program, these people will also receive medications. If we manage this program well, we will save many lives, and it will feel like magic,” she says with a smile, confident that the program will make a real difference in her home community and impact thousands of lives in the future.
The Hypertension Management Project, dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Aram Chobanian, was made possible with the support of the Afeyan Family Foundation through the Armenian American Medical Association (AAMA) Boston.
Implemented by FAR in partnership with the HENAR Foundation, the project was piloted in October 2024 in the communities of Khndzoresk and Byurakan. It began with a comprehensive evaluation of residents’ health indicators, including average blood pressure levels, weight, and key behavioral factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and medication adherence. The second phase of the program, recently launched in the same communities, focuses on providing targeted training on hypertension management for around 20 local doctors and nurses.
The training sessions covered topics on healthy lifestyles, behavioral interventions, risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus - from symptoms to treatment methods, and effective hypertension management.
Dr. Sharkhatunyan openly admits that these are topics they deal with every day, but global medical trends and new research in the field evolve constantly — and keeping up with these changes is challenging for local doctors with their busy, often hectic schedules.
“Early detection of high blood pressure is extremely important, because many people only discover they have hypertension after experiencing a stroke or heart attack. One of the most valuable aspects of this program was identifying patients, especially among younger generations. Another important aspect was letting people know that through this program, they may have access to the medications they need in the future. Many people avoid seeing a doctor because they can’t afford the medications,” she says.
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