MORE THAN half a million adults in the North West are estimated to have undiagnosed high blood pressure that, when left untreated, can significantly increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Since October 2021, when the NHS Community Pharmacy Blood Pressure Check service began, pharmacies in the North West have provided more than 957,000 blood pressure checks, identifying almost 102,000 people with high or very high blood pressure with more than 158,000 referred by GP practices.   

Those people have been supported to receive appropriate onward care, testing and diagnosis, helping to prevent potential life-altering strokes and heart attacks. 

The NHS in the North West is encouraging anyone aged 40 and over to get a free blood pressure check during May Measure Month from a participating community pharmacy, and with over 90% of pharmacies in the region offering the service, it should be quick, easy, with no need to book in advance.

Chief Pharmacist for the NHS in the North West, Karen O’Brien MBE has supported blood pressure campaigns across the region for several years to urge as many people as possible to go get their blood pressure checked. May Measure Month encourages people to regularly monitor their blood pressure and if they are found to have high blood pressure, get the support they need to get it under control. 

Karen said: “You could be one of millions of people living with high blood pressure without knowing it.  If your blood pressure is found to be high, there are things you can do to treat it with some lifestyle changes and medication, if needed.” 

Last year our community pharmacists carried out over 480,000 blood pressure checks that were either identified by the pharmacist, patient requested or referred by their GP practice. 

Community pharmacy teams can check blood pressure and offer advice on how to lower your blood pressure and if needed can refer you back to your GP for monitoring. 

High blood pressure can often be prevented or reduced by eating healthily, maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, drinking alcohol in moderation, and not smoking. 

Karen said: “Finding high blood pressure early, gives people a better chance of preventing a stroke or heart attack and potentially developing long term health problems and 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 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. 

Community pharmacists across the North West play a key role in 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. 

Dr Paula Cowan, Primary Care Medical Director 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. 

“Getting your blood pressure checked during May measure month could help save your life. Don’t wait until it’s too late, pop in and speak to your community pharmacist, and if there is something detected your pharmacist will refer you into your GP further monitoring and or investigation.” 

ENDS 

For more information, please contact the NHS North West media team – england.nwmedia@nhs.net.

 Notes to editors 

1. You can get your blood pressure checked at several places, including many pharmacies, at an NHS Health Check appointment offered to adults in England aged 40-74: or at your local GP surgery or a variety of community venues throughout the week including leisure centres and workplaces. To find your nearest pharmacy go to www.nhs.uk
2. If you have a recent blood pressure reading use the NHS Check your blood pressure tool to understand what your reading means. You’ll also get information about what to do next.
3. If you have diagnosed high blood pressure or a long-term condition, make sure you check your blood pressure, attend your annual review, take your medication, and follow the advice given by your health professional.
4. Once you know your numbers you can get support to bring your blood pressure under control and prevent these and many more diseases.
5. Simple things can help you manage your blood pressure such as attending your annual blood pressure review and leading a healthier lifestyle by reducing your weight, alcohol, or smoking.
6. Find out more: High blood pressure (hypertension) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

 6 top tips to reduce your blood pressure (BHF): 

1. Regular physical activity – Try to do some moderate-intensity activity every day and build up to at least 150 minutes per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.
2. Keep to a healthy weight – For some people, losing weight is all they need to do to get their blood pressure down to a normal level.
3. Eat a healthy balanced diet – Use the Eatwell plate to guide the proportions you include from each food group. Include a variety of fruit and vegetables.
4. Cut down on salt – Don’t cook with salt or add any to your food at the table, and cut down on processed foods, which contain a lot of salt.
5. Don’t drink too much – If you drink alcohol, stick within the recommended limits. No more than 3–4 units a day for men and no more than 2–3 for women.
6. Take medications as prescribed – Most people will need to take more than one type of medicine to control their blood pressure. Don’t stop taking your medication without consulting with your GP first.

 As a general guide: 

• 140/90mmHg or over – you may have high blood pressure
  Most doctors use 140/90mmHg as the cut off for point for diagnosing high blood pressure(hypertension). This is the point where your risk of serious health problems goes up. They might prescribe medicationsand advise you to make changes to your lifestyle to bring your blood pressure down.

  • 120/80mmHg up to 140/90mmHg – pre-high blood pressure
  Also called high-normal blood pressure. This is not high blood pressure, but it is a little higher than it should be and means you could go on to develop high blood pressure. See how you can make healthy changes to your lifestyle to lower it.

  • 90/60mmHg up to 120/80mmHg – ideal blood pressure
  Also called normal blood pressure. Your blood pressure reading is healthy. At this level you have a much lower risk of heart disease and stroke. Following a healthy lifestyle will help you to keep it in the healthy range.

  • 90/60mmHg or lower – you may have low blood pressure
  Low blood pressure usually isn’t a problem, but it can sometimes make you feel faint or dizzy or could be a sign of another health problem 

For more information regarding blood pressure go to: High blood pressure (hypertension) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

The NHS online blood pressure tool explains what the numbers mean and provides advice: NHS Check your blood pressure tool

For more information on Know Your Numbers Week go to: www.bloodpressureuk.org.