Monday 2 September marks the start of Know Your Numbers Week, and health leaders from NHS Mid and South Essex are urging everyone to get their blood pressure checked. Monitoring your blood pressure is simple to do and can help you know your numbers so you can get help if needed.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a “silent killer” because it often has no symptoms but can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to monitor regularly. You can do this at home with a monitor, at a participating pharmacy, or through your GP surgery. Depending on your age, a normal blood pressure reading is between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg.
Hypertension is very common, affecting one in four adults in the UK. If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems. The good news is that it can be managed with medication, healthy eating, exercise, and reducing alcohol and smoking.
Last year, about 1.5 million people checked their blood pressure during Know Your Numbers Week. This year, we want even more people to know their numbers.
By checking your blood pressure and encouraging your family, friends and people you know to do the same, we can build healthier communities. Better blood pressure control could help prevent up to 7,200 heart attacks and 11,448 stroked in the next three years across mid and south Essex.
Neil Magee, Cardiovascular System Clinical Lead, NHS Mid and South Essex
If you have taken your own blood pressure, the NHS website can explain what your reading means:
Check your blood pressure readingIf is important that you contact your local GP surgery if you have high blood pressure readings, so that they can support you to get it under control.
How you can get your blood pressure checked:
- People aged over 40 can get a free blood pressure check at some local pharmacies, check if your local pharmacy is participating here: Find a Pharmacy.
- Some GP surgeries may have self-test blood pressure machines in their waiting room for you to take your own blood pressure.
- Home blood pressure monitors are also widely available to purchase, so you can check your blood pressure from the comfort of your own home. The Blood Pressure UK website has guidance on how to choose an at home blood pressure monitor.
- It’s important to monitor your blood pressure correctly so check our our video on how to take your blood pressure reading at home: Managing your blood pressure
If you do find that your blood pressure is high, there are lots of things that you can do to help reduce your blood pressure and stay healthy: Managing your blood pressure
Fortunately, if you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it’s already high. Find out about how you can make positive changes: Lifestyle Services
Here are some ways you can proactively reduce your blood pressure:
- Get active
- Stop smoking
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Eat a balance diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- reduce salt intake
- Attend NHS 40+ health checks when invited
- Take time to relax and de-stress
- Take medication that’s prescribed to you
What this video to see a mid and south Essex resident’s experience of monitoring their blood pressure at home: The importance of knowing your numbers: Steph’s journey with home blood pressure monitoring
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for deciding how the NHS budget for mid and south Essex is spent.
It is also responsible for developing a plan to improve people’s health, deliver higher quality care and better value for money.
You can find out more about the ICB’s responsibilities here: About NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board