OTTAWA The Canadian Hypertension Society (CHS), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada's Research-based Pharmaceutical companies (Rx&D), sanofi-aventis and Blood Pressure Canada (BPC) are announcing today an investment of $900,000 over five years to fund the first Canadian Chair in Hypertension Prevention and Control. Dr. Norm Campbell, MD, FRCPC, from the University of Calgary, is the recipient.

The Chair was created through a partnership between CHS, the CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program, sanofi-aventis and BPC. The Chair's mission is to improve awareness, prevention and control of hypertension by interaction with federal and provincial health care agencies and providers as well as the community at large.

"Hypertension is the number one risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Canada and worldwide, and it is still on the rise", said Dr. Peter Liu, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health. "This announcement is timely as World Hypertension Day this year falls on May 13. The Chair will educate Canadians on hypertension and identify ways to reduce their blood pressure in order to improve their health."

Dr. Campbell will adopt a multi-faceted approach toward the primary prevention of hypertension and improvement in the treatment of those in whom the disease cannot be prevented. He will:

• Expand the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP);
• Develop a comprehensive national surveillance program for hypertension;
• Increase public awareness of hypertension; and
• Lobby to eliminate indiscriminate addition of salt by the public food sector.

"Dr. Norm Campbell's past experience and reputation beyond the field of hypertension make him the perfect candidate to lead this partnership i
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Contact: Marie-France Poirier
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
613-941-4563
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
12-May-2006