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People urged to get their blood
pressure checked
MORE than 49,000 people in Liverpool
are at risk of a stroke, heart attack or kidney disease in Liverpool because
they do not know they have high blood pressure.
Now a special roadshow; organised by Public Health Liverpool and Liverpool CCG is taking to the streets of the City to encourage people to check their blood
pressure, as part of the national:- 'Know Your Numbers' campaign.
High blood pressure is the most common long term health condition and 2nd
only to smoking as the highest risk factor in causing premature death.
Around 15% of people in Liverpool (68,214) have been diagnosed with high blood
pressure, but it is believed 1 in 4 of the population has the condition,
meaning there are another 52,645 residents unaware they are at risk.
Key factors include:- eating too much salt, not eating enough fruit or vegetables,
being overweight and not exercising enough.
Councillor Paul Brant, Cabinet member for health, said:- "High blood
pressure is a silent killer and many people just do not know that they are at
risk.
The number of people that are undiagnosed in Liverpool is staggering and so we
are working hard to spread the word and encourage people to get their blood
pressure checked.
It can be a ticking time bomb and lead to conditions such as a stroke or heart
disease, but the good news is that it can easily be treated by improving diet,
losing weight or taking exercise. That's why we're getting out and about to
spread the message about the importance of knowing your numbers."
Dr Maurice Smith, GP from Mather Avenue Surgery in Allerton and Healthy
Liverpool's 'Living Well' clinical lead said:- "People who have
high blood pressure wouldn't necessarily have symptoms unless their levels are
dangerously high and then they suffer from headaches, nausea and impaired
vision.
Testing a person's blood pressure is very simple and straight forward and takes
minutes. We can then determine whether someone's levels are normal, borderline
or high and the reading would determine what course of action we take.
We very much work in partnership with our patients and it may be that if the
reading is borderline we could advise lifestyle changes such as getting more
active, giving up smoking, reducing salt intake and alcohol, losing weight and
eating a healthier diet. We may ask to see them in 3 months to re-test to see if
the levels have reduced.
When blood pressure levels are high we would consider various medication options
that reduce blood pressure as part of a shared decision making process with the
patient."
All Councillors in Liverpool are being offered a blood pressure check at the
next full Liverpool City Council, in Liverpool Town Hall, on Wednesday, 20 September
2017.
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