Edinburgh charity offers free blood pressure checks during Know Your Numbers! Week
Thistle Foundation in Edinburgh’s Craigmillar area will be asking local residents ‘Are you gambling with your health?’ as it urges everyone to get their free blood pressure check during this year’s Know your Numbers! Week (13-19 September, 2010).
Thistle Gym on Niddrie Mains Road is among around 1,400 official ‘Pressure Stations’ taking part in the nation’s biggest blood pressure testing event run by UK charity the Blood Pressure Association.
Research from the Blood Pressure Association has revealed almost three quarters of adults do not know their blood pressure numbers. This ignorance means they are taking an unnecessary gamble with their health, as uncontrolled high blood pressure causes stroke and heart attack.
One in three UK adults has high blood pressure. It’s a symptomless condition – a ‘silent killer’ - so the only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have regular blood pressure checks. However, once detected, it can be very successfully managed.
Thistle Foundation will be offering free blood pressure checks on 16th September, 10am–4pm at:
Thistle Gym, Tudsbery Centre, Niddrie Mains Road, Edinburgh EH16 4EA
Diana Paton, Chief Executive of Thistle Foundation said:
“Know your Numbers! is a great campaign to be involved in. We are calling on all local people to drop in to Thistle Gym and get their free blood pressure check.”
Mike Rich, Executive Director of the Blood Pressure Association, said: “We are delighted that Thistle Foundation is taking part in Know your Numbers! Week 2010, highlighting the importance of knowing your blood pressure numbers.
“During this year’s campaign, we’re asking ‘Are you gambling with your health?’ and we hope everyone will take advantage of the free blood pressure checks to lower their odds of stroke and heart attack.”
To find out more about the campaign visit the Know your Numbers! website at www.bpassoc.org.uk/kyn or call 020 8772 4994.
If you have a question about high blood pressure and would like to speak to someone over the phone, call the Blood Pressure Association’s Information Line on 0845 241 0989 (Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm).
