Blood pressure
Blood pressure
To learn more and to recap on the training we did in March, click here.
Blood pressure (BP) is a measure of the force the heart uses to pump blood around the body. It is a critical indicator of cardiovascular health and is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
The measurement consists of two numbers – usually written as systolic/diastolic:1
- Systolic pressure: the highest level BP reaches when the heart beats
- Diastolic pressure: the lowest level BP reaches when the heart relaxes between beats.
High blood pressure (hypertension)2
A person’s blood pressure is considered to be high if it is 140/90mmHg or more (measured at a GP surgery or clinic) or an average of 135/85mmHg if it was taken at home.
In people over the age of 80, high blood pressure is considered to be from 150/90mmHg or more if the reading was taken at a GP surgery or clinic, or an average of 145/85mmHg if it was taken at home.
Customers whose blood pressure is consistently high or who are concerned about their blood pressure should be referred to their GP. For stores in England who offer the NHS hypertension case finding service, you could refer the customer to your pharmacist or pharmacy technician for further investigation.
| Did you know…? An estimated 6-8 million people in the UK have undiagnosed or uncontrolled high blood pressure3 |
Symptoms of high blood pressure4
Most people with high blood pressure don’t feel any symptoms. This is a concern because if high blood pressure is left untreated, it can lead to other conditions, including kidney disease, heart disease and stroke. Very high blood pressure can cause headaches, blurred vision, chest pain and other symptoms.