News - Hypertension Week of August 17, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 33

Hall of Fame Quarterback Campaigns Against High Blood Pressure

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana is leading a public education campaign urging people with high blood pressure to follow his example and get it under control.

When diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2002, Montana said he was in denial about the disease even though his grandfather died at age 54 of heart disease.

Montana has joined Harvard-trained cardiologist Dr. James Rippe and Novartis in the "Take The Pressure Off With Better Blood Pressure Control" campaign to raise awareness that blood pressure levels above 120/80 increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

Montana and Rippe are offering information, tools and support through a website (www.takethepressureoff.com), which offers information and helps users assess their blood pressure risk. A free brochure is available by calling 877-438-2736.

Rippe developed the program on which the campaign is based to encourage people with high blood pressure to eat healthier, exercise more and find the right medication. He noted that most patients require more than one medication to lower blood pressure to target levels.

For example, Rippe said Montana takes Lotrel® (amlodipine besylate/benazepril HCl), which combines two blood pressure medications in one capsule. Montana's blood pressure is now below 120/80.

While patients can easily implement many elements of the program on their own, Montana said they will also benefit from open dialogue with their physicians, including asking whether their treatment is working as well as it should. The former quarterback said he failed to get his blood pressure under control with the first drug his doctor prescribed.

Other sources: Novartis