NHS South Yorkshire is supporting ‘know your numbers’ campaign and encouraging all adults to get their blood pressure checked.
Know Your Numbers week takes place from 4-10 September to raise awareness of the risks associated with high blood pressure (or hypertension) which rarely has noticeable symptoms.
Untreated blood pressure is one of the greatest avoidable health risks, as it can lead to a range of serious health conditions, from heart disease, heart attack and heart failure, to stroke, kidney disease and dementia.
It’s estimated that a third of those living with high blood pressure are unaware of this. It’s not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but there are certain things that can increase the risk, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight, and being inactive.
To coincide with Know Your Numbers week the NHS and Barnsley Council are operating a mobile blood pressure service called ‘How’s Thi Ticker’ which travels around local neighbourhoods including to barber shops, supermarkets, and community centres, seeing more people referred to pharmacists with high blood pressure – catching early signs of heart attack and stroke risk.
Dr David Crichton, Chief Medical Officer from NHS South Yorkshire said: “It’s important that any problems with high blood pressure are identified early so that necessary preventative measures can be taken. The first step to improving our health is knowing where we stand, which is why it’s good to know your numbers by having regular checks and even keeping a record of your blood pressure numbers, high blood pressure is treatable and helps prevent future complications”.
“By giving people the knowledge and confidence to take their own blood pressure reading enables them to know what it means and when they might need to take action.”
There are many things that we can all do to help lower our blood pressure, stopping smoking, leading more active lives, being a healthy weight, to reducing our salt intake and making other improvements to our diets. In some cases, people may need to go on medication, but all of these methods contribute to people being able to reduce their risks of chronic health problems and allow them to enjoy many more years in good health.
There are also many ways to check your blood pressure, including at home with a personal blood pressure machine. There are also several pharmacies who offer blood pressure testing. For many people aged between 40 and 74, the NHS Health Check is how they find out their blood pressure and local residents are encouraged to take up their health check invitation when it arrives from their GP practice.
Getting your blood pressure checked is easy and can save your life. All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years. A quick, simple check is all that’s needed for people to be able to start improving their long-term health.
Useful resources
You can download the following resources by clicking on the links below:
You can watch Know Your Numbers video here
Know Your Numbers Week 2023 - Pharmacy and home checks poster
Know Your Numbers Week 2023 - A4 poster
Useful information
Blood Pressure UK - https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/know-your-numbers/
NHS Blood Pressure test information - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blood-pressure-test/?msclkid=f11b6f24d10b11ec907c74e39cd32924
Stroke Association - https://www.stroke.org.uk/what-is-stroke/are-you-at-risk-of-stroke/high-blood-pressure
Diabetes UK - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/blood-pressure
Thinking of monitoring your blood pressure at home, Blood Pressure UK have some useful hints and tips to help get you started.
Where can I get my blood pressure checked?
You can request a free blood pressure check at your local pharmacy (check to see if yours is on the list), at your GP surgery or you can buy a monitor to test at home (prices vary). Whichever method you use, make the time to know your numbers, it could save your life.
