About PSH
The Philippine Society of Hypertension Inc. (PSH) was incorporated on 7 January 1993 by medical health providers concerned with the diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of hypertension. These providers include internist-cardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, neurologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, pediatricians, occupational and family physicians and practitioners from other medical disciplines.
We are determined to control hypertension using a total quality management approach, which involves reciprocal communication between providers and clients facilitated by paramedical representatives and the media.
We are a member of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) and World Hypertension League (WHL).
Our membership is comprised of over 2,000 medical health providers, as well as non-medical individuals and 13 corporate members from pharmaceutical companies involved in promoting health. Through the years, the PSH has been actively looking for ways to increase awareness of hypertension among the lay population, improve knowledge among practitioners and encourage research among students and professionals alike:
Our History
The years 1993 to 1997 were distinguishing milestones in the development of PSH as a society.
Dr. Ramon F. Abarquez Jr.(+), the founder of PSH, became the first president of the society in 1993. The society’s focused mission was to prevent and control hypertension in the Philippines.
Initial activities of PSH contributing to its success:
The society implemented a nationwide survey in December 1994 to determine health care providers’ concepts, attitudes and practices regarding hypertension in the Philippines.
The society implemented a nationwide survey in December 1994 to determine health care providers’ concepts, attitudes and practices regarding hypertension in the Philippines.
The first PSH annual convention on 9-10 of February 1995 held at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Ortigas Pasig was in cooperation with the visiting faculty of the ISH. This aimed to improve the physician’s knowledge about hypertension by providing lectures on research updates and new developments in therapeutic management.
The first joint annual convention of PSH and Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS) transpired on 10-11 February 1995 Edsa Shangri-La Hotel with the participation of visiting luminaries from ISH. This was the first time that a medical society meeting was simultaneously-telecast in four cities: Manila, Davao City, Cebu City and Legaspi City.
The society participated in the World Conference on Hypertension Control held on 22-24 June 1995 in Ottawa, Canada, sponsored by the WHL dedicated to promote the detection, control and prevention of arterial hypertension.
PSH created a workshop on “Hypertension Control: Setting an Agenda for Multi-Sectoral Collaboration” held on 12 August 1995 at the Developmental Academy of the Phils., Pasig City, which aimed to identify priority issues or concerns in hypertension control that should be addressed in the Philippines and to convene multi-sectoral task forces that would draft guidelines for addressing these priorities.
The Society initiated a workshop on “Consensus Building and Guideline Development on 28 October 1995 at the Don Jacinto Building in Makati City, initiating the creation and development of clinical guidelines that would help health providers in translating science and research into action.
The second joint annual convention of PSH and PLSA was held together with the Second Pacific Rim Conference on February 1, 1996 at the Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel with the cooperation of world-renowned speakers. This time, the Asian Pacific Society of Hypertension (APSH) was organized and born --and PSH’s very own Dr. Abarquez became a member of the board for APSH.
In 1997, this society hosted the 2nd Pacific Rim Conference on Hypertension Control --where the completed Philippine Hypertension Guidelines was presented and distributed to all practicing Filipino doctors, and subsequently published in the 1997 Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine.