ALMOST 120,000 people have been checked and treated for high blood pressure by the NHS in South West in 18 months, in a drive to reduce premature deaths.

All were given lifestyle advice and offered treatment to help manage their condition.

As a result, it’s estimated 700 heart attacks and 1,000 strokes were prevented, and potentially £20 million in costs to the NHS avoided, by reaching and treating those people with high blood pressure between September 2023 and March 2025.

When left untreated, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can significantly increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

With hundreds of thousands more people in the South West potentially still walking around with unidentified and untreated high blood pressure, NHS health teams across the region are urging anyone aged over 40 to get a free NHS blood pressure check, this Know Your Number week which runs until September 14.

Dr Trevor Smith, Regional Medical Director for NHS England in the South West, said: 'High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because most people don't realise they have it.

‘You might feel perfectly fine, but your blood pressure could still be higher than it should be.

‘Occasionally, people might notice headaches, feel dizzy or short of breath, experience chest pain, or have nosebleeds – but often there are no warning signs at all.

‘When blood pressure stays high over time, it can quietly increase your chances of developing heart disease, having a heart attack or stroke, or experiencing problems with your kidneys or memory.

‘The only way to know if your blood pressure is high is to have a blood pressure check and it’s easier than you think.

'Checks are available at community pharmacies or GP practices or as part of an NHS Health Check. Alternatively, if you have a blood pressure machine at home, you can do it yourself.

'Just take readings morning and evening for a week, work out the average, and send it to your GP practice for checking.’

Catriona Ketiar, Regional Chief Pharmacist for NHS England in the South West, said: ‘Getting your blood pressure checked with your local pharmacy is easy. You can find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks on the NHS website at Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks – then when you visit we’ll simply put a cuff around your arm and take a quick reading.

‘Depending on what we find, we might chat about healthy lifestyle tips, lend you a monitor to use at home, or suggest a visit to your GP.

‘Don’t worry, everything stays confidential with your GP surgery unless there’s something that needs urgent attention. It only takes a couple of minutes and could make a real difference to your health.’

Blood pressure readings give two numbers. A healthy reading is usually below 120/80, whilst anything consistently above 140/90 might need some attention.

Adults aged 40 to 74 should have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.

Small changes can make a big difference to blood pressure and heart health like eating less salt, staying active, cutting back on alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight as well as stopping smoking.