Self-diagnosis of blood pressure

by Taryn Davies | 8 September 2011

People are to be encouraged to diagnose themselves at home

Patients thought to have high blood pressure should have their diagnosis confirmed at home, according to new guidelines.

A quarter of patients may find visiting a GP stressful, which can lead to misdiagnosis and drugs given to them which are not needed.

The move could save the NHS £10.5 million a year.

Patients will be offered extra checks using a mobile device that records blood pressure over 24 hours.

High blood pressure affects about a quarter of all adults in the UK. It is a leading risk factor for heart disease or stroke and costs the NHS about £1 billion a year in drugs alone.

Shafeeque Mohammed, clinical pharmacist and heart health expert at Lloydspharmacy says: "High blood pressure is something that most people don't think they need to worry about until later in life, but it can affect you at any age. It often has no symptoms until it has become extremely severe, so it's vital to have your blood pressure tested regularly.

"There are also a number of factors that can contribute to higher blood pressure including smoking, lack of physical activity, obesity, an unhealthy diet and excess alcohol, so it's important for young adults to recognise the risk and take action by managing their lifestyles carefully."

Using devices like the blood pressure monitor and cuff and the blood pressure lowering system could help to significantly reduce your risk of developing it and if you already suffer it could help you to control and reduce your pressure.

Professor O’Brien, Professor of Cardiovascular Pharmacology at The Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, adds: “Lack of blood pressure control increases the chances of cardiovascular problems such as strokes, heart attacks or kidney problems.

“Recent evidence shows that although prescribing of blood pressure-lowering drugs has increased, BP control has not improved. It is apparent that prescribing alone is not the answer – people of all ages need to take their blood pressure seriously and re-evaluate their lifestyle to reduce the risk of hypertension. I applaud the efforts that Lloydspharmacy is making to promote awareness of blood pressure and in encouraging people to get their blood pressure checked on a regular basis.”