Blood pressure check campaign aims to save lives

NHS bosses said a healthy blood pressure reading is usually under 120/80

Cornish healthcare bosses have urged people to "know their numbers" when it comes to blood pressure.

A campaign has been launched by NHS Cornwall and Cornwall Council to get 10,000 people's blood pressure checked in the next 12 months.

The aim of the campaign is to help people check their pressure regularly in order to avoid health conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

Dr Chris Reid, NHS Cornwall's Chief Medical Officer, said a healthy reading was usually below 120/80 and checking could save a life.

Dr Reid said there were plenty of ways of lower blood pressure including doing exercise, eating and sleeping better and finding ways of dealing with stress.

"If your blood pressure is up, the most important thing is to go and do something about it," Dr Reid said.

Sam Collier, head of clinical quality at NHS Cornwall, had a stroke at the age of 42 and said ignoring reminders to get her blood pressure checked was a contributing factor.

The 53-year-old, who is also a former nurse, said: "Obviously if I'd been along to my doctors and had my check done really, really easily, I could have been started on medication and the stroke could have been prevented."

Sam Collier, right, had a stroke after ignoring reminders to check her blood pressure

Gareth Walsh, a public health practitioner at Cornwall Council, said there were lots of ways of getting a blood pressure check-up.

He said along with a GP checking it, people could also go along to a pharmacy to get a reading or use a scheme at Cornish libraries to borrow a blood pressure monitor.

"It's important to get to know your numbers and to take readings regularly," Mr Walsh said.

"That's the takeaway message from this so you're used to your numbers."