High blood pressure is one of the most common conditions in this country - more than one in four adults in the UK have the condition. Across Cheshire & Merseyside about 650,000 people are thought to have high blood pressure, including over 260,000 people who don't yet know they are affected.
I want to Know My Numbers! Where can I get my blood pressure checked?
There are many places as well as your general practice where you can get your blood pressure checked.
Use the Local Service Finder tool to find nearby community pharmacies offering free blood pressure checks.
During Know Your Numbers week 2018, Halton Council held a pressure station at the Widnes Vikings' Stadium. See Ryan Ince from the Vikings show his support for having a blood pressure check here.
Click here for a short video by Blood Pressure UK on why you should Know Your Numbers!
If your blood pressure readings from any setting are consistently above 140/90mmHg you may have high blood pressure. You should get a review at your GP surgery to check. Sustained high blood pressure can damage the heart and increase the risk of stroke.
A few simple lifestyle changes can make all the difference..
As a guide, if your blood pressure is in the healthy range (129/84mmHg or less) it is recommend you get your blood pressure checked at least every 5 years.
If your blood pressure is on the higher side of normal (between 130/85mmHg and 139/89mmHg) it is recommended that you make lifestyle changes and recheck within a year.
If your blood pressure is high or very high you should follow clinical advice on how often to monitor your blood pressure.
Estimates suggest over 260,000 people across Cheshire and Merseyside have undiagnosed high blood pressure.
First line management is simple lifestyle changes as outlined in the lifestyle section. If your blood pressure remains high you may be prescribed medicine to control it. This will reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Most people require two or three medicines to reduce their blood pressure to recommended levels. It is sometime more effective to use two or more drugs which work on different areas of the body to reduce blood pressure and minimise the risk of side effects.