Blood pressure: how to lower your risk, how to test it at home, and where to get free NHS check ups

Do you know your blood pressure numbers? One in three adults in the UK have high blood pressure, most people don’t realise, but if you're over 40 you can get it checked for free at most pharmacies.

High blood pressure doesn’t have any obvious symptoms but it is a major cause of heart attack and stroke, and can also lead to a number of serious long-term health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.

It's really important to get your blood pressure checked so you can catch high blood pressure early, then take simple steps to reduce it and lower the risk to your health.

If you are over 40, you can get your blood pressure checked for free at most pharmacies across Derby and Derbyshire. Your pharmacist will refer you to a GP if your blood pressure is higher than normal and can offer advice on how to manage it.

Rebecca White (49), from Ripley had her blood pressure checked as part of a routine smear test and found out she had high blood pressure.

"The worrying part of this is that I didn’t – and still don’t – have any symptoms of feeling unwell at all. So without the trip to the nurse, none of this would have been highlighted and I would have continued as normal not knowing how high my blood pressure was,” said Rebecca.

"I would definitely urge everyone to take a blood pressure check, it’s free, it’s safe, it doesn’t hurt and it could save your life."

Many pharmacies are open evenings or weekends, so why not pop in and ask about getting your blood pressure checked next time you pass? If your local pharmacy doesn’t offer checks, they will give you information about a pharmacy that does. You can also measure it at home using a monitor, find out how on Blood Pressure UK's website.

The only way to know if your blood pressure is healthy is to have a check, and to keep having them regularly.