American Heart Association, American Stoke Association to collaborate on national campaign

The American Medical Group Association announced today that the American Heart Association and American Stoke Association will collaborate on Measure Up/Pressure Down, a national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection and control, spearheaded by the American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF), AMGA's nonprofit education and research arm. The organizations will work together to promote high blood pressure awareness and develop educational resources and tools for physicians and patients.

Measure Up/Pressure Down challenges healthcare providers, patients, employers, and the entire nation to improve high blood pressure detection and control. The central mission of the campaign is to mobilize medical groups and organized systems of care to adopt one or more evidence-based care processes that lead to measurable improvements in high blood pressure outcomes. To further the campaign's reach, the changes in clinical practice are being supplemented with patient education tools, strategic partnerships, special events and a national media and public awareness strategy. Nearly 140 AMGA medical groups and health systems delivering care to over 41 million patients have joined Measure Up/Pressure Down.

"We are delighted to welcome the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association as national partners of Measure Up/Pressure Down," says Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMGA and Secretary of the Board of AMGF. "Both organizations bring a wealth of expertise and resources in patient education and engagement that will benefit our members and the millions of patients whom they serve."

The organizations will collaborate on a number of initiatives including facilitating the use of AHA resources such as its Heart360 health tracking tool among Measure Up/Pressure Down participating medical groups and visitors to the campaign website launching later this month.

"The American Heart Association commends the American Medical Group Association on its leadership in the hypertension awareness space," says David Magid, M.D., M.P.H., Hypertension Science Expert for the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. "We look forward to the launch of this collaboration, as it works in alignment with the American Heart Association's 2020 impact goals and strategies to help all Americans control their blood pressure levels. Together, we can make a meaningful impact."

AHA joins other partners and supporting organizations including the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Million Hearts initiative, the Association of Black Cardiologists, the American Society of Hypertension, the American Kidney Fund, and the Institute for Health and Productivity Management. The campaign also has two national sponsors that are committed to helping resolve this public health challenge: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.