Well Pharmacy is offering free blood pressure checks in all its branches across England to raise awareness of the dangers posed by hypertension.
The leading independent pharmacy chain is inviting people to #thebigsqueeze in conjunction with May Measurement Month and World Hypertension Day (May 17) by inviting them to get a free blood pressure check and to learn more on the importance of understanding hypertension.
George Sandhu, deputy superintendent pharmacist at Well Pharmacy said: “May Measurement Month is a global blood pressure screening awareness campaign. The aim is to raise awareness of the dangers posed by elevated BP and hypertension. May 17 is World Hypertension Day, and a perfect time to take control and get your blood pressure checked.
“We are delighted to be supporting this campaign. Hypertension (more commonly known as high blood pressure) can cause a range of health issues. Worryingly, it often comes with no symptoms, which is why it is vital to know if your blood pressure is higher people don’t have any symptoms of high blood pressure so having their blood pressure checked is the only way to find out.
"People can come into any of our Well Pharmacies across England and have their blood pressure checked. The theme for 2023 is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer – and knowing your number is one of the most important things people can do.
He continued: “We are urging people, particularly those with a family history, to come into our pharmacies across England in May as part of May Measure Month. Our pharmacy teams will be on hand to offer advice and information. Upon visiting, a pharmacist will measure the customers blood pressure in a private consultation room.
"If the reading is high, they may offer them an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device to wear which could result in a referral to their GP. This automatically measures blood pressure at regular intervals over a 24-hour period, allowing for a more detailed view of what is happening.”
