Well Pharmacy is inviting people to #thebigsqueeze in conjunction with May Measure Month, and World Hypertension Day (May 17), by urging customers into their local pharmacy to get a free blood pressure check and to learn more on the importance of understanding hypertension via the NHS hypertension case finding service.
Ifti Khan, Well Pharmacy Superintendent said “We are delighted to be supporting World Hypertension Day 2022. Hypertension (more commonly known as high blood pressure) can cause a range of health issues. Worryingly, it often comes with no symptoms, which is why it is vital to know if your blood pressure is higher people don’t have any symptoms of high blood pressure so having their blood pressure checked is the only way to find out.
“Blood pressure is the force at which the heart pumps blood around the body. Although blood pressure can rise and fall depending on activity and stress levels, when it stays high for too long it can cause serious health problems, in some cases leading to strokes, kidney problems and heart attacks. If a person knows their blood pressure is too high or too low, the more they can be supported with health living advice and medication (if required) to effectively manage it.
He continued “We are urging people, particularly those with a family history, to come into our pharmacies across England in May as part of May Measure Month. Our pharmacy teams will be on hand to offer advice and information. Upon visiting, a pharmacist will measure the customers blood pressure in a private consultation room. If the reading is high, they may offer them an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device to wear which could result in a referral to their GP. This automatically measures blood pressure at regular intervals over a 24-hour period, allowing for a more detailed view of what is happening.”
Throughout the rest of the month, Well pharmacy teams will be getting involved in raising awareness on the effects of high blood pressure and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Blood pressure – what you may need to know
· Many people don’t have any symptoms of high blood pressure.
· Having your blood pressure checked is the only way to find out what your reading is
· The NHS recommends that healthy adults who are over 40 should have a blood pressure check at least every5 years. People who are at increased risk of high blood pressure should have checks once a year.
· Having a check in your local pharmacy is convenient and accessible. Our Well pharmacy teams in England have supported their local GP teams to raise awareness of high blood pressure by offering the service in their pharmacies, and are able to advise on simple lifestyle changes to improve or maintain a healthy blood pressure.
How is blood pressure checked?
· Checking blood pressure is very easy and nothing to be alarmed about
· Blood pressure is checked with a device made of a cuff, which goes around your arm, a pump, which inflates the cuff to temporarily restrict circulation, and a dial or digital display to report your blood pressure.
· When your blood pressure is measured, it is written down as two numbers.
· The first (or top number) is the systolic, taken when the heart beats and forces blood through the arteries, and the second (or bottom figure) is the diastolic pressure, taken between heartbeats, or while your heart is at rest.
· Your Well pharmacist or doctor will be looking at both of those numbers when they decide what advice and/or treatment is needed to manage your blood pressure.
