Dr Paula Cowan, GP and NHS North West Regional Medical Director for Primary Care is asking everyone 50 and over to get your blood pressure measured before the damage is done this Know Your Numbers!

You have the power to successfully manage your blood pressure but, only if you know your numbers. Knowing your numbers could help prevent killer conditions such as heart attacks and strokes – and save your life.

Dr Cowan has spoken out for national Know Your Numbers! Week (2 to 8 September), to encourage people of all ages to regularly monitor their blood pressure and get high blood pressure under control.

North West has the highest number of people with GP recorded high blood pressure in England, but it’s thought that around 500k people have undiagnosed cases of hypertension in the North West NHS region without realising it.

Know Your Numbers! Week, an annual initiative by Blood Pressure UK, aim this year is to for everyone to successfully manage their blood pressure by knowing your numbers.

Last year local community pharmacists carried out and delivered 438k blood pressure checks these were either identified by the pharmacist or patient requested.

Your local pharmacy can check your blood pressure for Free and offer advice on how to lower your blood pressure. If necessary, your pharmacist might refer you into your GP for additional checks.

Lifestyle changes can help to reduce blood pressure. These lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure: reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet cut back on alcohol lose weight if you’re overweight exercise regularly cut down on caffeine stop smoking.

You can check your blood pressure regularly at home and keep an eye on your numbers by purchasing a simple good quality blood pressure monitor. For advice and guidance on monitors go to NHS England Home Blood Pressure Monitoring

Dr Paula Cowan, GP and NHS North West Regional Medical Director for Primary Care said:

“The early detection of high blood pressure gives people a better chance of preventing a stroke or heart attack, and potentially developing long term health problems. Knowing your numbers could help you manage potential risks and save your life.

“The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to have your blood pressure checked. High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms, but if untreated, it increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

“Checking your blood pressure is easy to do.  If you have a blood pressure machine at home, you can do it yourself. Just take readings morning and evening for a week, work out the average, and send it to your GP practice Alternatively, you get a free blood pressure check, at your pharmacy, GP surgery, at many workplaces, or as part of your NHS Health Check.”

It’s recommended that healthy adults 40 to 74 years of age have their blood pressure tested at least every five years. People who are near the threshold for high blood pressure may be asked to monitor it more often.

GPs and community pharmacists across the North West are leading the fight against common conditions that cause cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, by encouraging self-awareness and lifestyle changes. This includes encouraging communities to exercise, eat well, drink within safe limits and stop smoking.

Community pharmacists are trained to carry out blood pressure checks, analyse the results and refer patients with high blood pressure to their GP for further checks and advice on lifestyle changes.

Karen O’Brien, Chief Pharmacist for NHS England – North West, said:

“The blood pressure check is simple and quick to do, and you get your results there and then. This could help prevent you having a stroke or heart attack.

“Knowing your numbers could help save your life. Don’t wait until it’s too late, pop in and speak to your community pharmacist.”