Community NHS heart checks identify hundreds with high blood pressure
Over 400 residents across mid and south Essex have learned they have high blood pressure and need treatment
Over 400 residents across Mid and South Essex have been identified as having high blood pressure.
Community NHS heart checks were delivered by 17 NHS teams, holding 29 community events.
They estimate that 12 heart attacks and strokes have been potentially prevented due to these checks.
The events reached over 1,650 patients, offering blood pressure checks, health checks, and referrals to stop smoking and weight management support services.
Several residents attending the events discovered they had very high blood pressure and needed urgent intervention. One of them was sixty-three-year-old Kevin Collett from Braintree who attended a Healthy Heart event held by Braintree PCN. A blood pressure check revealed a reading of 192/115, which is significantly higher than the normal range.
Kevin said: “I had a full clinical assessment, was immediately given a prescription and told to get some medication from a pharmacy just 100 yards down the road. I took the first dose at the pharmacy.
“I went back to my GP shortly after for further investigations which included an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.”
Kevin’s blood pressure is now within normal range. He said: “I had all these tests and follow-ups because my blood pressure was checked at this event. I wasn’t aware my blood pressure was that high and I could have had a heart attack or stroke. The one-to-one support has made a big difference.”
Dr Matt Sweeting, Executive Medical Director at NHS Mid and South Essex said: “This work is a major step toward our goal of ensuring that 80% of people with hypertension (high blood pressure) receive effective, targeted treatment. By reaching this ambition, we could prevent an estimated 137 heart attacks and 204 strokes over the next three years."
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio Essex News, he said:
"High blood pressure increases the risk of various medical conditions, mainly heart attacks and strokes.
"The difficulty with high blood pressure is often when you have high blood pressure you know nothing about it.
"So you do not feel unwell, you do not get a sensation that something may be up. In fact, only when your blood pressure goes extremely high will you have symptoms.
"If we can pick it up early then we can treat it and reduce your risk later on down the line.
"It's a silent disease, and that is the most difficult thing because people feel well on it.
"But actually my job is to tell people if we can control it now in your 40s and 50s, then actually it pays dividends often in your 60s and 70s as well."
Dr Reg Rehal, an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and System Clinical Lead for Cardio Metabolic Health, said: “This Heart Month, we want to encourage residents to think about their heart health and have a blood pressure check. High blood pressure affects one in four adults in the UK, and can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, heart disease and/or stroke.
“These community events have made a real difference to people’s lives. They have helped us tackle health inequalities by reaching and engaging with at-risk communities, who often miss out on health support. Just under 20% of attendees were from more at-risk groups such as ethnic minorities and people with learning disabilities."