Know your numbers, lower your risk
A quick, simple check is all that’s needed for you to be able to start improving your long-term health.
That’s the message this Know Your Numbers Week, from 4th to 10th September, as local people are urged to check their blood pressure.
Untreated blood pressure is one of the greatest avoidable health risks, as it can lead to a range of serious and potentially fatal 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 the danger they’re in, and with the condition often having no symptoms, it’s little surprise that it has been labelled ‘the silent killer’. However, there are a number of small lifestyle changes that can be made which can help people lower their blood pressure and lead longer, healthier lives.
Dr Lalitha Iyer is a GP and the Chief Medical Officer for NHS Frimley, which commissions health services for 800,000 people from Slough and Maidenhead to Farnham and Aldershot.
She said: “Almost a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure and about a third of them don’t know about it.
“The good news is that there are many things that we can all do to help lower our blood pressure, from leading more active lives and managing our weight to reducing our salt intake and making other improvements to our diets. In some cases people may need to be put 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 of good health.
“The first step to improving our health is knowing where we stand, which is why it’s so important to Know Your Numbers.”
Giving people the knowledge and confidence to take their own blood pressure reading, helping them to know what it means and when they might need to take action could mean they are able to prevent themselves becoming a statistic.
There are many ways to check your blood pressure, including at home with a personal blood pressure machine (find out more here) – or using one belonging to a family member or friend – or taking up the opportunity if you see a mobile testing team when out and about.
There are also a number of 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.
Information on how to take your blood pressure and what to do once you know your numbers can be found on the this website by clicking here: https://fhac-archive.frimley.icb.nhs.uk/bloodpressure
Frimley Health and Care will be sharing messages throughout the week on its online platforms and with its partner organisations to encourage people to check their blood pressure. Throughout September further messages will be shared around high blood pressure and ways to help control or lower yours.
A special online information session has been arranged for 6pm on Wednesday, 20th September, entitled: Looking after yourself: A focus on high blood pressure. For more information and to register, visit: https://tinyurl.com/2v68534n
Local people can follow the campaign by following the system’s social media platforms:
Twitter: @FrimleyHC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrimleyHealthandCare/
Instagram: @frimleyhealthandcareics