NHS hypertension case finding service – raised blood pressure. A potentially life saving Bp measuring service.
Do you ever worry about your future health and the effects of major illness could have on your family and you personally.
There are few of us who don't fear the effects of an unexpected serious illness. It is a worry for everyone about how they and their family would cope with a serious life changing illness.
You could take one simple measure that would reduce one significant risk.
You could protect yourself by reducing your risk of a stroke or heart attack.
You could protect your family by reducing your risk of a stroke or heart attack.
You could save the NHS substantial money by reducing your risk of stroke or heart attack.
You could help the survival of pharmacy by using our facilities to reduce your stroke or heart attack. risk and helping us to develop the new services.
If you are 40 or over, this simple thing.
Use our Blood pressure measuring service. Have your blood pressure taken and monitor it at regular intervals.
The Stroke Association estimates that improving the blood pressure of 15% of people with mild blood pressure problems would save the NHS £36 million per year.
We now offer a hypertension finding service. The process is simple, pop into the pharmacy and we will take your blood pressure. Simple, quick and painless. FREE NHS WALK IN SERVICE.
The service is designed to identify people aged 40 years or older, with undetected high blood pressure and refer them to their general practice clinician who can confirm the diagnosis and start appropriate management.
Watch a video about this service - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irhN-9225JY
Today treatment of raised blood pressure is simple and effective and has very few side effects.
Hypertension is not a disease. It is a risk factor. This means it does not make you ill but increases your risk of cardiovascular disease (strokes and heart attacks). The problem is there is often no signs until it is too late. People with high blood pressure do not feel ill and lead normal lives at least until the risk catches up with them.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the second most common cause of premature death in England, after cancer, affecting seven million people. One in four premature deaths are caused by CVD, and 1.6 million disability adjusted life years can be attributed to it.
High blood pressure significantly increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, but early detection and treatment can help people live longer, healthier lives.
When I was a young doctor treatment of people with raised blood pressure was in its infancy. 50 years ago there were few drugs to treat raised blood pressure effectively and without side effects. For many years only people with malignant hypertension received hospital treatment.
It was only when insurance companies with increased computerisation began to notice that they paid out on more serious illness or life insurance claims for people who had higher than average blood pressure that the problem came to light.
A person with a raised blood pressure will usually feel well and have no indication that their blood pressure is significantly higher than average. This is the point. This is why you should have your blood pressure taken. It is too late when uncorrected raised blood pressure has gone on for years and you have suffered a potentially preventable stroke.
This is what the snooker players call a shot to nothing. There is no risk of losing anything if you take a shot at having your blood pressure taken. If your blood pressure is normal you have it repeated at the appropriate intervals. If it is abnormal we can guide you through the next stage of further monitoring and if necessary refer you onwards to your GP for treatment. Your risk of serious debilitating events is reduced.
You may feel you are too busy, we all are, but what would you tell a friend?
One of the NHS Long Term Plans ambitions is to prevent 150,000 strokes, heart attacks and dementia cases, in addition to tacking health inequalities and preventing ill health. In May this year, a significant investment in community pharmacy was announced as part of the Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care to expand the services that they provide, through a ‘pharmacy first’ offer.
At Revel Pharmacy we are pleased to do our part and help the NHS and patients. Will you do your part? Make sure you have your BP taken -be reassured or reduce your risk of premature disability or death.
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