Know Your Numbers Week
Do you know your numbers?
September 8-14th is national Know Your Numbers Week, an awareness campaign to encourage people to have their blood pressure measured so they can take the steps needed to maintain a healthy blood pressure and reduce their risk of debilitating strokes and heart attacks.
High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other illnesses. Once you Know Your Numbers you can get support to bring your blood pressure under control and prevent these diseases.
Around a third of people in the UK have high blood pressure, but most don’t know it. It doesn’t have any symptoms so, the only way to find out is to have a blood pressure check.
Hypertension Survey
Tell us what you know about high blood pressure this Know Your Numbers Week
Health leaders in BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire are working with Healthwatch to ask your views on how to encourage more people to get their blood pressure checked – particularly those who are at risk of having high blood pressure.
We’re doing this through a short survey which is open until 15 September 2025 https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/blood_pressure
It takes less than five minutes and responses will be kept strictly confidential.
Checking your blood pressure
Get your blood pressure checked at your local pharmacy, or with a home monitor – they are cheap and easy to buy.
Visit your local pharmacy to get your blood pressure checked. All pharmacies have a private area where you can talk to a Pharmacist in confidence, and you don’t always need to book an appointment to see a Pharmacist.
If you have high blood pressure, your GP practice can help you decide about treatment – this is a priority for them to prevent you becoming seriously unwell.
There is a lot you can do to reduce blood pressure by taking healthy lifestyle changes, such as stopping smoking, exercising regularly, eating healthy, reducing your salt intake and drinking less alcohol.
Understanding your numbers
The best way to understand your blood pressure is to check it regularly.
The NHS online blood pressure tool will help you understand what your numbers mean and give you tips on how to manage your blood pressure.
For more information visit bswtogether.org.uk/yourhealth/health-advice/know-your-numbers/
