The British Heart Foundation (BHF) have teamed up with the Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation to offer free blood pressure checks to members of the public at an event held at Molineux next week.
It comes as new estimates from the BHF show that up to 380,000 people in the West Midlands are unaware that they are living with high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, often referred to as a silent killer, does not usually have any symptoms, meaning that many people are unaware they are living with one of the risk factors most commonly associated with heart attacks and strokes.
However, if detected the condition can be easily treated by a combination of simple lifestyle changes and medication, depending on the individual.
The BHF is currently funding £1.5m worth of community projects across the country which aim to reach and test people who are most at-risk of high blood pressure in every day settings such as train stations, barber shops and football grounds, or through existing initiatives such as the Fire & Rescue Service safe and well programme.
The charity says reaching people outside of hospitals and GP surgeries is key to making sure that millions of people with undiagnosed high blood pressure in the UK, understand their risk and are able to get the treatment and advice they need.
It is estimated that over a quarter of adults in the West Midlands, around 1.3 million people, have high blood pressure. Of these, around 920,000 people have been diagnosed with high blood pressure by their GP.
Paul Stern, the BHF’s Health Service Engagement Lead for the Midlands, said: “Getting your blood pressure under control is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Untreated high blood pressure is a ticking time bomb that can put your future health in jeopardy.
“Having your blood pressure checked takes less than five minutes, but it is all too easy to put it on the back burner in our hectic day to day lives. That’s why we’re urging people to come along to our event in Wolverhampton to get their blood pressure checked – it could ultimately save your life.”
Rachel Smith, Senior Health Officer at Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation, said: “It’s great to be able to support this initiative run by the British Heart Foundation to get more people thinking about their health and getting their blood pressure checked. Molineux is a great location for an event such as this and we’re sure it’ll be a great success.”
The event will take place in the North Bank Bar at Molineux on Tuesday 21st May from 3pm to 7pm.
No registration is required and members of the public can simply turn up to attend.
The BHF is supporting May Measurement Month, a global research initiative, now in its third year, which aims to improve public awareness of high blood pressure.
