Blood Pressure Testing

Having high blood pressure often goes undetected, but the effects can be very serious leading to heart disease or stroke. It makes sense therefore to know what your blood pressure is, and here at Medicine Centre we can help you understand what the measurements mean.

We always like to offer you options! We have the Wellpoint machine which you can use youself and obtain a printed record of your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, body fat percentage and Body Mass Index.

Our Pharmacist or trained assistants can also take the measurements for you, using calibrated digital monitors which meet British Hypertension Society standards.

Factors which affect Blood Pressure include

Age.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Poor diet.
Lack of exercise.
Obesity.

Blood pressure is expressed as two numbers e.g. 120/80. The first number is the systolic pressure or the presssure the heart is at when it pumps out blood. The diastolic pressure is the pressure at which the heart is at rest. Both numbers are important.

If high, blood pressure can often be reduced by losing weight, eating more healthily, stopping smoking if applicable and reducing alcohol intake. If these measures are not succesful or there are other factors which keep your blood pressure high then your GP may prescribe from a range of "antihypertensive" medicines. We can offer you advice on these.

Low Blood Pressure is also quite common and is not treatable with medicines, just rest and relaxation, but it is always worth checking out with your Doctor first.