Residents encouraged to ‘Know Your Numbers’ during May Measure Month
NHS Surrey and Sussex is encouraging residents to get their blood pressure checked as part of May Measure Month and upcoming World Hypertension Day (17 May), helping people to identify and manage the risks associated with high blood pressure.
Most people will not have any symptoms of raised blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Having raised blood pressure is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, strokes and chronic kidney disease. Knowing your blood pressure numbers and getting checked regularly can help identify problems early and reduce the risk of serious illness.
Residents aged 40 and over are eligible for a free NHS blood pressure check at participating community pharmacies. Checks are quick, simple, and can also be carried out at home or at a GP practice.
People can find a participating pharmacy offering free NHS blood pressure checks here:
Find a pharmacy offering free blood pressure checks
High blood pressure can often be managed successfully through healthy lifestyle changes such as improving diet, being more active, reducing alcohol intake and stopping smoking. Some people may also require medication to help control their blood pressure.
To support local residents in understanding more about hypertension, NHS Sussex and Surrey is promoting a new digital learning resource from local GP and cardiovascular disease prevention specialist Dr Suneeta Kochhar. In the video, Dr Kochhar explains what hypertension is, why it is important to monitor blood pressure regularly, and how to take an accurate blood pressure reading at home.
Dr Kochhar says:
Up to a third of people in the UK may be unaware that they have raised blood pressure, this is because most people do not have any symptoms. This means that the only way to detect this is by having a blood pressure check. A blood pressure check can be done at your GP surgery or local community pharmacy.
If you’re a healthy adult aged 40 to 74, and live in England or Wales, you’ll be invited to a free NHS Health Check every 5 years, which will include a blood pressure check.
Treatment of raised blood pressure may include lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise as well as the use of medication.