Preventing illness: home blood pressure monitoring

Most people with raised blood pressure don’t even know that they are at risk because they have no obvious symptoms. Your blood pressure varies depending upon your diet, stress, and amount of regular exercise.

Rutland Health Care Coordinators are reviewing the records of patients who have had high blood pressure readings in the past and asking them to monitor their blood pressure at home and send the readings to the practice. If this affects you, you will receive a text message on your mobile phone.

You can get your blood pressure checked at a community pharmacy or your GP practice, but the NHS now recommends home monitoring because the results are more likely to represent your normal readings (being tested at a surgery or pharmacy can make people feel anxious and affect the result). Rutland GP practices have blood pressure monitors for loan, and you can join the waiting list by replying to the text message. Alternatively, you can monitor your health and stay well on an ongoing basis by buying a blood pressure machine from pharmacies, some supermarkets and Amazon. More information about choosing a monitor can be found at choosing a monitor for home use

See the Rutland Health website for further details including how to check your blood pressure, tips for reducing blood pressure etc.