Free blood pressure checks

Kennedy’s pharmacy in Rasharkin and Dunloy are urging everyone to get their free blood pressure check during this year’s Know Your Numbers! week. Free checks are available for everyone from Monday 10th September until Saturday 15th September from 9am-6pm in both pharmacies.

High blood pressure is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’. Although sixteen million adults in the UK have high blood pressure, over five million of them do not know it. Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, renal disease and dementia; resulting in needless deaths and disability. Sixty-two thousand people die every year in the UK from heart disease or stroke which could have been prevented had their blood pressure been well controlled.

High blood pressure can be very successfully managed with lifestyle changes and medicines. Various services offered in the pharmacy can help including weight management and smoking cessation programmes.

The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have regular checks and remember the numbers in the same way as your height and weight. In other words – Know your Numbers! So call into either pharmacy at any time over the week and avail of the free service and advice on offer.

Pre-registration pharmacist, Zara Matthews said ‘It’s so important to be aware of your blood pressure and we hope that new and existing customers alike will take the opportunity to come in for a free check. Kennedy’s pharmacy has been involved in Know Your Numbers! week for several years now and have always found it to be a huge success in terms of raising awareness around high blood pressure’.

If you have any questions about your blood pressure or the ‘Know Your Numbers’ event, call Kennedy’s Pharmacy, Rasharkin on 028 295 71124 or Kennedy’s Pharmacy, Dunloy on 028 276 57803.