Drop in day to bring Blackley's blood pressure down

Company news

Jul 23, 2009

A Blackley GP practice is taking a proactive approach to tackling high blood pressure across the area by educating people on why early diagnosis could be life-saving.

It is estimated that one in three UK adults in Blackley has high blood pressure, with 18% of adult men and 13% of adult women not getting treatment for the condition*, also known as the ‘silent killer’.

To help address the issue, Charlestown Medical Practice, run by Care UK, is holding a drop in day on Saturday 2nd April urging people to get their blood pressure tested, and find out more about the benefits of registering with a GP.

Lynn Cordock, practice manager at Charlestown Medical Practice, said: “In many cases high blood pressure has no immediate symptoms, however it is known to be a long-term risk factor for many serious illnesses including heart attacks, strokes and heart disease as well as other conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.

“Our registered patients benefit from regular testing, meaning we can help them avoid developing these serious health problems.

“However people who are unregistered with a GP won’t currently be receiving these vital and potentially life-saving checks. The aim of our awareness day is to encourage them to register and start receiving regular checks.”

Residents are invited to drop in for a test between 10am and 1pm on Saturday 2nd April. They’ll also get the chance to meet members of the practice team, find out about services offered and ask questions about any health issues concerning them.

The risk of developing high blood pressure, also called hypertension, increases with age. Half of people over 75 years have the condition.*

People diagnosed with hypertension should get their blood pressure checked every nine months. People aged over 40 who don’t have the condition should get tested every 12 months.

The practice is located within the Charlestown Health Centre in Blackley, North Manchester, and is open Monday and Thursday 8.30am – 8pm, Tuesday 8am – 6.30pm, Wednesday and Friday 8.30am – 6.30pm and Saturday 9am – 1pm.