Surgipharm, the country’s leading drug distributors, have introduced a new hypertension (high blood pressure) drugs on the Rwandan market.

The drugs known as Diovan and Co-diovancome at a time when there is an increasing high prevalence of hypertension a related ideseases in the growing economies of Africa of which Rwanda is part.

Dr. Jules Kabahizi, Physician and Kidney specialist at King Faisal Hospital, said that actual statistics for hypertensive are only based on anecdotal reports from all medical practitioners.

"However, its existence should not be underestimated. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure.”

He said such highly recommended drugs should be welcomed to save the lives of Rwandans who are working towards the country’s development.

Dr. Emmanuel Musabeyezu, Head of Medicine Department at King Faisal Hospital, said high blood pressure is a disease which affectsone billion people globally and greatly increases the risk of heart attack or developing heart failure.

"People who have suffered a heart attack are at greater risk of repeat attacks or death and may also progress to heart failure. And Rwandans are at high risk following their eating habits of brochettes, "he said.

Musabeyezu further said the drugs have a high 24 hours rate of double digit lowering efficiency with similar blood pressure reductions.

The drugs are said to be the first-in-class approval for powerful high blood pressure agent after authorisations across 14 European Union countries and worldwide for both heart attack survivors and people with heart failure.

The drugs approval was based on the results of Valianttrial, one of the largest, long-term studies ever conducted amongst people who have suffered a heart attack.

In the United States, it has made significant advancement in heart attack reduction after 3,000 patients were suffering a heart attack in the every day.

Kinny Nayer, Managing Director of Surgipharm Rwanda said the drugs distributed by Novartis International regional office in Nairobi, Kenya are now available on market at a minimum of Frw22,500 per dose.

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