LloydsPharmacy has launched a new NHS Blood Pressure Checks Service, to help identify Hypertension in over 40s. The new service has been launched in over 200 LloydsPharmacy stores across the UK, including Manchester.
A third of UK adults experience high blood pressure, which can put a strain on your heart, blood vessels and other organs, increasing your risk of conditions such as heart attacks, strokes or heart disease. As there are no noticeable symptoms many will not realise that they have high blood pressure but there are some circumstances which may increase your risk;
- Being over the age of 65
- Having a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease
- Being overweight
- Not exercising as much as you should
- Being of Asian or African-Caribbean descent
- Drinking more than two to three units of alcohol a day (up to 14 units a week) on a regular basis for both men and women, spread over three or more days
- A diet including a lot of salt. Adults should eat no more than 6g (1 teaspoon) of salt a day
- Not eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
- Not getting enough sleep
- Drinking too much caffeine
The service offers support in two stages – the first being to identify people at risk of hypertension and offering them a blood pressure (BP) check in store where a pharmacist will provide advice or referral as well.
The second stage is offering patients a British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) recommended, Schiller BR102-Plus Ambulatory BP monitor, to take home for a 24-hour monitoring period. Those at risk will be given the opportunity to loan an ambulatory monitor to help identify their condition early, and then return the monitor to store where results will be reviewed with the pharmacist for further advice or referral.
The service launch follows the introduction of the new NHS Community Pharmacy Hypertension Case-Finding Advanced Service, which is now able to be delivered through pharmacies in England.
Aimee Mulhern, NHS Services Manager says, “As cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK, early detection and treatment is crucial. With too many people living with high-risk conditions such as high blood pressure undetected, we are proud to be able to offer our new Advanced Blood Pressure Testing Service in store, making detection and support more accessible.
CVD is the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next 10 years, and with the disease being largely preventable through changes to lifestyle and healthcare, our pharmacists are able to offer advice and access to both stages of the service.”
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