All adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. If you haven’t had yours measured, or you don’t know what your blood pressure reading is, ask your GP to check it for you.
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure measures how strongly blood presses against the walls of your arteries (large blood vessels) as it is pumped around your body by your heart. If this pressure is too high it puts a strain on your arteries and your heart, which makes it more likely that you will suffer a heart attack, a stroke or kidney disease.
Blood pressure is measured in as mmHg and is recorded as two figures:
For example, if your GP says your
blood pressure is ‘140 over 90’, or 140/90mmHg, it means you have a
systolic pressure of 140mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg.
You are said to have high blood pressure (medically known as
hypertension) if readings on separate occasions consistently show
your blood pressure to be 140/90mmHg or higher.
A blood pressure reading below 130/80mmHg is considered to be normal.
Who is most at risk?
Your chances of having high blood pressure increase as you get older. There is often no clear cause of high blood pressure but you are at increased risk if you:
If you fall into any of the groups listed above, you should consider making changes to your lifestyle to lower your risk of high blood pressure. You should also consider having your blood pressure checked more often, ideally once a year.
Prevention and treatment
You can take effective steps to prevent high blood pressure by:
The NHS Minor Ailments is provided for those who were previously entitled to free prescriptions (before April 2011). It allows the pharmacist to diagnose and prescribe for certain minor conditions, saving a trip to the doctor.
Conditions which can be treated by the pharmacist on the scheme, include;
If you call in to the pharmacy we can register you for the service. Our pharmacist can then prescribe you the most appropriate treatment for the condition you present with Elegibility.
To qualify for the minor ailments service, you must have one of the following exemptions
The pharmacy offers the “Morning After Pill”, free of charge via the NHS. Please don’t hesitate to ask for a private consultation. The pharmacist can check it is okay for you to take the pill and give any necessary advice. The pharmacy has a consultation room to ensure privacy.
Sexual intercourse must have occurred within the previous 72 hours of taking the pill for it to work. If this is not the case, you should contact a family planning clinic or your GP.
The most common side effect of taking the pill is nausea and sickness. Vomiting is rare, however if this does happen to you within a couple of hours of taking the pill, you must speak to your pharmacist or GP.
All adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. If you haven’t had yours measured, or you don’t know what your blood pressure reading is, ask your GP to check it for you.
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure measures how strongly blood presses against the walls of your arteries (large blood vessels) as it is pumped around your body by your heart. If this pressure is too high it puts a strain on your arteries and your heart, which makes it more likely that you will suffer a heart attack, a stroke or kidney disease.
Blood pressure is measured in as mmHg and is recorded as two figures:
For example, if your GP says your
blood pressure is ‘140 over 90’, or 140/90mmHg, it means you have a
systolic pressure of 140mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg.
You are said to have high blood pressure (medically known as
hypertension) if readings on separate occasions consistently show
your blood pressure to be 140/90mmHg or higher.
A blood pressure reading below 130/80mmHg is considered to be normal.
Who is most at risk?
Your chances of having high blood pressure increase as you get older. There is often no clear cause of high blood pressure but you are at increased risk if you:
If you fall into any of the groups listed above, you should consider making changes to your lifestyle to lower your risk of high blood pressure. You should also consider having your blood pressure checked more often, ideally once a year.
Prevention and treatment
You can take effective steps to prevent high blood pressure by:
The NHS Minor Ailments is provided for those who were previously entitled to free prescriptions (before April 2011). It allows the pharmacist to diagnose and prescribe for certain minor conditions, saving a trip to the doctor.
Conditions which can be treated by the pharmacist on the scheme, include;
If you call in to the pharmacy we can register you for the service. Our pharmacist can then prescribe you the most appropriate treatment for the condition you present with Elegibility.
To qualify for the minor ailments service, you must have one of the following exemptions
The pharmacy offers the “Morning After Pill”, free of charge via the NHS. Please don’t hesitate to ask for a private consultation. The pharmacist can check it is okay for you to take the pill and give any necessary advice. The pharmacy has a consultation room to ensure privacy.
Sexual intercourse must have occurred within the previous 72 hours of taking the pill for it to work. If this is not the case, you should contact a family planning clinic or your GP.
The most common side effect of taking the pill is nausea and sickness. Vomiting is rare, however if this does happen to you within a couple of hours of taking the pill, you must speak to your pharmacist or GP.