OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd., a global leader in home health monitoring devices, has announced its support for May Measurement Month 2026, an annual blood pressure screening and awareness campaign coinciding with World Hypertension Day on May 17. The company will donate approximately 3,000 blood pressure monitors to screening activities worldwide, including models capable of detecting atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common but often undiagnosed arrhythmia that increases stroke risk.
Hypertension remains the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, contributing to over 10 million deaths annually. Despite the availability of effective treatments, awareness and control rates remain low in many regions. Since its launch in 2017, May Measurement Month has screened over 7 million people globally, identifying more than 1 million individuals with previously untreated hypertension. This year's campaign, running from May to July, will feature screening events, blood pressure measurement sessions, and educational guidance on lifestyle changes to manage hypertension.
OMRON has supported the campaign since its inception, donating approximately 33,000 blood pressure monitors to date across 120 countries. This year's additional 3,000 devices include models that screen for AFib, a condition that often goes undetected despite being a major risk factor for stroke and heart failure. Professor Neil R. Poulter, Chief Investigator and Chair of Trustees of May Measurement Month, emphasized the importance of home monitoring: "Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases... and it is increasingly clear that regular home blood pressure monitoring improves hypertension management, which in turn reduces these major adverse cardiovascular events and the risk of atrial fibrillation. By donating blood pressure monitors that are also capable of detecting probable atrial fibrillation, this initiative can enhance early detection and treatment."
Ayumu Okada, President and CEO of OMRON Healthcare, highlighted the alignment with the company's Going for ZERO vision, which aims to eliminate cerebro-cardiovascular events worldwide. "Since the launch of our first home blood pressure monitor in 1973, we have worked alongside healthcare professionals to promote the importance of blood pressure monitoring and improve access to home measurement," Okada said. "We will continue to collaborate with May Measurement Month to improve global cardiovascular health outcomes through the further expansion of this important initiative."
The implications of this announcement are significant: by integrating AFib screening into routine blood pressure monitoring, the campaign could identify undiagnosed arrhythmias early, potentially preventing strokes and other complications. For more information about May Measurement Month, visit https://maymeasure.org. OMRON Healthcare, with over 400 million units sold globally, continues to innovate in cardiovascular condition management, respiratory care, and pain therapy, and its products are available in over 130 countries. For more about the company, see https://healthcare.omron.com/.
