A leading charity partnership is urging more people to encourage their loved ones to take up a free blood pressure check this Valentine’s Day as new figures reveal millions are struggling to prioritise their health during the cost-of-living crisis.
New research released today by Tesco shows that Britons are more likely to service their cars (64%) and household boilers (58%) each year than attend a routine medical examination (31%), with 1 in 2 (50%) more likely to prioritise the health of their loved ones over their own health.
Routine checks are the most simple and effective way of spotting high blood pressure, which is associated with around 50% of heart attacks and strokes. The NHS estimates that over the next five years, blood pressure checks at local pharmacies could prevent over 5,000 heart attacks, over 8,000 strokes and save over 4,000 lives (4).
Just 30% of men and a third of women (33%) attend a routine medical check at least once a year and over one in three (37%) of GB adults say they haven’t had their blood pressure checked in the last twelve months, according to Tesco’s research. This compares to:
• 64% of people servicing their vehicle annually
• 58% servicing their household boiler every 12 months
• 65% of people checking their vehicle’s tyre pressure at least once a year
The findings come as data suggests the after-effects of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have increased the chances of risk factors like high blood pressure going undiagnosed:
• BHF estimates that as many as 5 million adults are living with undiagnosed high blood pressure in the UK (1)
• Analysis by the BHF Data Science Centre at Health Data Research UK found nearly half a million people missed out on starting medication to lower their blood pressure during the Covid-19 pandemic (2)
• Previous analysis by Tesco found that more than half of those under 40 (57%) said they had deprioritised their health as a direct result of the rising cost of living (3)
Amid these warning signs, Tesco is working with BHF to encourage more people to routinely check their blood pressure, for free, at the supermarket’s network of in-store pharmacies, with almost half a million appointments available this year at Tesco pharmacies across the UK. Based on NHS analysis, these appointments could help detect tens of thousands of cases of high blood pressure and prevent hundreds of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.
The research also found that 1 in 10 men (11%) have never had their blood pressure measured in their lifetime. Of those men, almost a third (31%) believe they only need their blood pressure checking if they have a medical condition or are taking medication.