Deepak Bilakhia, a Nottingham-based community pharmacist, is fronting a new National Health Service (NHS) drive to raise awareness around high blood pressure.
The new national campaign in England is targeted at finding the “missing millions” who have undiagnosed high blood pressure because it often presents no symptoms and hence can be a “silent killer” because if left untreated, can lead to fatal heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
Bilakhia said: “Campaigns like this are so important because high blood pressure can be a silent killer and really can affect anyone, including those with no symptoms at all. Too many people are unaware that pharmacies offer this kind of service, without needing to book an appointment.
“So, if you’re 40 and over and have not had a check in the last six months, don’t put it off any longer. Checking your blood pressure at a local pharmacy is so simple to do but could save your life – and your pharmacist is here to help.”
The condition affects an estimated 32 per cent of adults but as the condition rarely has any symptoms, approximately three in 10 of these remain undiagnosed, equating to 4.2 million people in England. As part of the campaign launched this week, the public are being warned that there are often ‘no clues’ about who might have high blood pressure – the only way to know is to have a simple test.
With the NHS announcing an additional 2.5 million blood pressure checks in community pharmacies over this year and next, those aged 40 years and over are now being urged to get a free blood pressure test at a participating pharmacy. The procedure is quick, non-invasive and you do not need to book in advance.
UK Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said: “Millions of adults in England unknowingly have high blood pressure, without experiencing any symptoms. As part of our Pharmacy First programme, the NHS has expanded its pharmacy offering to include 2.5 million more blood pressure checks within local pharmacies.
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“Knowing if you have a healthy blood pressure is so important and this new drive will help to prevent the potentially fatal consequences of untreated high blood pressure. I urge people to go to their local pharmacy today to get their blood pressure checked. It could be a life-saving trip.”
The survey of over 2,000 adults aged 40 and over revealed worrying numbers who do not know the potentially fatal effects of high blood pressure – with four in 10 (41 per cent) unaware that, if left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, and over a fifth (22 per cent) being unaware that it can cause strokes and heart attacks.
To encourage more over 40s to come forward for potentially life-saving blood pressure checks, new advertising features a fictional detective struggling to solve the mystery of high blood pressure, due to a lack of “clues” and “insufficient evidence”.
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The campaign is backed by TV pundit and former footballer Graeme Souness, who is affected by high blood pressure and had a heart attack, and TV presenter and broadcaster Gloria Hunniford, whose dad and husband have suffered strokes. They appear alongside other patients affected by the condition, and Bilakhia, in a mock police line-up to demonstrate how any of us could be unknowingly walking around with the condition.
*Info: Free Checks