Kyoto, Japan--OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd. announced today that its cumulative sales of home-use blood pressure monitors topped 200 million units worldwide in November 2016.

Forty-three years have passed since OMRON's first blood pressure monitor (HEM-1) was launched in 1973. Today, OMRON blood pressure monitors are available in more than 110 countries/regions across the world, commanding a market share of approximately 46% worldwide.¹ Since the release of its first blood pressure monitor, OMRON Healthcare took 36 years to achieve cumulative global sales of 100 million units in 2009. Since then, the blood pressure monitor market has attained steady growth globally, reflecting the increasing health consciousness among the general public, and a worldwide increase in patients with lifestyle diseases. The importance of home blood pressure monitoring has also become deeply instilled in global societies. As a result, OMRON Healthcare was able to attain its next milestone of 200 million units in cumulative global sales in a mere seven years.
In recent years, the demand for blood pressure monitors has also grown in emerging markets, such as China, Russia, and Latin American countries. Accordingly, the scale of the global blood pressure market reached 40 million units in fiscal 2015.² Breaking down OMRON Healthcare's total blood pressure monitor sales in fiscal 2015 by region, China accounted for 28%, Americas 26%, Europe 20%, Japan 14%, and other regions 12%.

OMRON Healthcare's mission is to "help realize healthy and comfortable lives for people around the world." Living up to this mission, OMRON Healthcare has consistently refined its unique biometric sensing technology. At the same time, it has pursued a consistent improvement in accuracy and the greatest possible usability, with the goal of allowing anyone to easily take accurate blood pressure readings. OMRON Healthcare has also actively sought evidence for establishing criteria for diagnosis of hypertension based on blood pressure measurements at home. This in turn has influenced guidelines for hypertension management issued throughout the world. OMRON Healthcare has also been committed to promoting educational and awareness-raising activities in collaboration with medical professionals, in order to inform the public of the importance of home blood pressure monitoring. As part of this effort, OMRON Healthcare has been providing blood pressure monitors and other support for the Ohasama study ever since its launch in 1986. The Ohasama study is the world's first large-scale study based on home-monitored blood pressure data from local residents.

Presently, the number of hypertensive patients in the world is estimated at 1 billion,³ and 17.5 million people are said to be suffering from cerebrovascular or cardiovascular events caused by high blood pressure.⁴ In many cases these events result in death, and when they do not, patients can become bedridden or suffer from speech problems. This can result in a considerable drop in the quality of life for patients themselves as well as their families.

"For us at OMRON Healthcare, this 200 million mark represents not just the achievement of a goal, but the start of our efforts toward the next challenge," said Isao Ogino, president and CEO of OMRON Healthcare. "We are determined to continue creating blood pressure monitors and other products that help prevent cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases caused by high blood pressure. Our goal is to help people everywhere to lead healthier, more fulfilling, and more active lives."

¹ OMRON Healthcare research (FY2015, monetary value basis)
² OMRON Healthcare research
³ WHO World Health Report 2013
⁴ WHO World Health Report 2015

OMRON Healthcare website: http://www.healthcare.omron.co.jp/english/

Cumulative Sales of OMRON Blood Pressure Monitors Reach 200 Million