Down with Blood Pressure Campaign – Saturday 14 May 2011

As supermarket free offers go this could be the best one you’ll ever get. On Saturday 14 May* shoppers at more than 140 New World and Pak’n’Save supermarkets can get a free blood pressure test which might just save someone’s life.

The Stroke Foundation, assisted by St John Ambulance and Rotary, has teamed up with Foodstuffs supermarkets to offer the tests as part of its Blood Pressure Awareness campaign.

High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke and regular testing is the best way to spot the danger and get help in keeping your blood pressure healthy.

Mark Vivian, Stroke Foundation CEO, said: “This is a great opportunity for people to have a quick, painless check.”

“We all lead busy lives and it can be hard to make the time for something as simple as a blood pressure check, but it could end up saving our lives. It’s easy for high blood pressure to go undetected. Most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms and therefore have no idea there’s anything wrong.”

There are a number of things you can do to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. Although medication may be necessary for some people, most of us can keep our blood pressure down by eating healthily and exercising regularly. Most of us eat too much salt which is a major contributor to high blood pressure, as well as being overweight, smoking or drinking too much alcohol.

The campaign was launched today in Wellington by Dr Jackie Blue MP and Silver Fern netball stars Katrina Grant and Camilla Lees.

Notes to editors:
* In the lower South Island (Timaru, Otago and Southland) the campaign will take place a week later on Saturday 21 May).

A full list of participating supermarkets and other venues can be found at www.stroke.org.nz

During the last Blood Pressure Awareness Day at least 12,000 people took up the free test and around 45% were found to have raised blood pressure. Just over 15% of people were referred to their GP by the St John volunteers.

About 5% of people had dangerously high blood pressure but almost all of them had no idea they had such a serious condition.

Only half the people tested had had their blood pressure checked in the previous 12 months, and 8 out of 10 of them did not know what their last test reading was.