More than 100,000 people in Scotland have benefited from a technology tool which allows them to monitor and manage their blood pressure remotely – saving the NHS an estimated 400,000 plus face-to-face appointments since 2019.
Connect Me allows patients to share their blood pressure readings with their GP through a digital platform to encourage better hypertension health.
With an estimated 1.3 million Scots impacted by high blood pressure, it is the leading preventable risk factor for heart and circulatory disease, associated with around half of all strokes and heart attacks. Research has shown that patients using remote monitoring achieve and maintain optimal blood pressure levels much faster compared to those seeing doctors just once or twice yearly.
The programme allows clinicians to monitor patient trends and change medication as required, whether levels improve from healthy habits or start deteriorating over time. Around 99% of users found the platform easy to use and 94% said they would use it again. It also offers patients choices for sharing readings, including via mobile app, web browser, text message, or automated call.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Connect Me is another example of how we’re embracing technology to help tackle the challenges facing health and social care. It’s extremely encouraging to see that over 100,000 patients have benefitted from the platform to date saving an estimated 400,000 appointments.
“I would encourage health boards to increase the roll out of Connect Me and for people who have hypertension to ask their GPs if they might be eligible for the programme. By empowering patients to take control of their wellbeing we are not only improving health outcomes but also significantly reducing pressure on primary care services.”
Millions at risk from ‘silent killer’ as NHS campaign warns there are often ‘no clues’ when it comes to high blood pressure
Up to 4.2 million people in England could be living with undiagnosed high blood pressure, according to NHS.
The ‘silent killer’ often has no symptoms but if left untreated, can lead to fatal heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
New survey data shows that despite the majority of high blood pressure cases being asymptomatic, only one in 14 respondents (7 per cent) thought the condition has no symptoms.
The Get Your Blood Pressure Checked campaign has been launched to highlight that there are often ‘no clues’ as to who has high blood pressure – backed by Gloria Hunniford and Graeme Souness.
With the NHS expanding blood pressure checks in community pharmacies – including capacity for an additional 2.5 million tests – the national campaign is urging those aged 40 years and over to get a free blood pressure test at a participating pharmacy.
Campaign backed by British Heart Foundation, Stroke Association, Heart Research UK, Blood Pressure UK, May Measurement Month, British Society for Heart Failure, and more.
Today, the NHS is launching a new national campaign to find the ‘missing millions’ who have undiagnosed high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, often described as a ‘silent killer’, affects an estimated 32 per cent of adults. As the condition rarely has any symptoms, approximately three in 10 of these remain undiagnosed, equating to 4.2 million people in England.
The public are today being warned that there are often ‘no clues’ about who might have high blood pressure – the only way to know is to have a simple test.
With the NHS announcing an additional 2.5 million blood pressure checks in community pharmacies over this year and next, those aged 40 years and over are now being urged to get a free blood pressure test at a participating pharmacy. The procedure is quick, non-invasive and you don’t need to book in advance.
This comes as new survey data reveals widespread misconceptions about the condition among those at risk.
Despite the majority of high blood pressure cases being asymptomatic, only one in 14 respondents (7 per cent) thought the condition has no symptoms. The survey also revealed one in six (17 per cent) of those surveyed have been put off having a blood pressure check because they don’t feel unhealthy or stressed.
Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said: “Millions of adults in England unknowingly have high blood pressure, without experiencing any symptoms. As part of our Pharmacy First programme, the NHS has expanded its pharmacy offering to include 2.5 million more blood pressure checks within local pharmacies.
“Knowing if you have a healthy blood pressure is so important and this new drive will help to prevent the potentially fatal consequences of untreated high blood pressure. I urge people to go to their local pharmacy today to get their blood pressure checked. It could be a lifesaving trip.”
Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
However, the survey of over 2,000 adults aged 40 and over revealed worrying numbers who don’t know the potentially fatal effects of high blood pressure – with four in 10 (41 per cent) unaware that, if left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, and over a fifth (22 per cent) being unaware that it can cause strokes and heart attacks.
To encourage more over 40s to come forward for potentially life-saving blood pressure checks, new advertising features a fictional detective struggling to solve the mystery of high blood pressure, due to a lack of ‘clues’ and ‘insufficient evidence’.
The campaign is being backed by Graeme Souness, TV pundit and former footballer, who is affected by high blood pressure and had a heart attack, and Gloria Hunniford, TV presenter and broadcaster, whose dad and husband have suffered strokes.
The pair appear alongside other patients affected by the condition, and pharmacist Deepak Bilakhia, in a mock police line-up to demonstrate how any of us could be unknowingly walking around with the condition.
Gloria Hunniford said: “This campaign is very close to my heart – both my husband and my father sadly suffered from a number of strokes due to high blood pressure, so I know from personal experience just how important it is to get your blood pressure checked, even if you feel healthy.
“That’s why I’m so pleased to hear that pharmacies offer free, quick blood pressure checks for people aged 40 and over – thankfully, this really will save lives.”
Graeme Souness said: “It’s so important to get your blood pressure checked – in my experience, high blood pressure doesn’t only affect the ‘usual suspects’, it can and does affect anyone so you could be at risk without knowing it.
“I’ve had high blood pressure for years but have been able to manage it with a routine of healthy eating, regular fitness and regular blood pressure checks.”
It is hoped that the campaign will urge those at risk to prioritise getting their blood pressure checked, even if they have no symptoms – after the survey revealed that blood pressure checks are low on the list of people’s annual priorities.
The majority of those at risk currently prioritise annual tasks such as getting their car MOT’d (56 per cent), getting their boiler serviced (55 per cent) or renewing insurances (60 per cent), above checking their blood pressure (43 per cent) – despite its life saving potential.
Meanwhile two in five (44 per cent) were not aware they could get a free blood pressure check at a pharmacy, with even more being unaware that they do not need an appointment (59 per cent).
Chief Medical Officer for England Sir Professor Chris Whitty said: “High blood pressure usually has no symptoms but can lead to serious health consequences such as a fatal heart attack, a stroke, kidney disease and vascular dementia.
“The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a simple, non-invasive blood pressure test. Even if you are diagnosed, the good news is that it’s usually easily treatable.
“Getting your blood pressure checked at a local pharmacy is free, quick and you don’t even need an appointment, so please go for a check today – it could save your life.
Helen Williams, Pharmacist and National Clinical Director for CVD Prevention, NHS England said: “It can be easy to dismiss the risks of stroke and heart attack associated with high blood pressure, especially as it often has no signs or symptoms so I would encourage everyone over the age 40 to know their blood pressure numbers.
“With thousands of pharmacies across the country now offering free blood pressure checks with healthy living advice, it’s a quick, easy and convenient way to keep on top of your cardiovascular health at a time and place that suits you.”
Deepak Bilakhia, a Nottingham based community pharmacist, said: “Campaigns like this are so important because high blood pressure can be a silent killer and really can affect anyone, including those with no symptoms at all.
“Too many people are unaware that pharmacies offer this kind of service, without needing to book an appointment.
“So, if you’re 40 and over and haven’t had a check in the last 6 months, don’t put it off any longer.
“Checking your blood pressure at a local pharmacy is so simple to do but could save your life – and your pharmacist is here to help.”
Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks near you by searching “pharmacy blood pressure check” or visiting the NHS website here.
The UK’s largest stroke charity is warning people not to delay seeking treatment for stroke due to fear of Omicron
The Stroke Association is concerned that public fear of increasing COVID-19 rates, due to the Omicron variant, is likely to see a similar drop in stroke admissions seen in Scotland at the start of the pandemic.
During the first wave of the pandemic there was a significant decrease in admissions to stroke wards, when the COVID-19 infection rate rose rapidly. The Stroke Association’s Recoveries at Risk report found this was due to patient worries over catching COVID-19 or being a burden on the NHS. Nearly a third (32%) of people who survived a stroke between March and June 2020 said they delayed seeking medical attention due to COVID-19.
This year, with the added impact of reported ambulance delays, this is likely to intensify feelings of being a burden on the NHS, causing people to delay seeking medical treatment.
To add to this potential crisis, new data shows that this year, more people are living with unmanaged hypertension (high blood pressure) and other major stroke risk factors due to fewer regular in-person appointments where cardiovascular conditions (like high blood pressure) are spotted.
Hypertension is the biggest risk factor for stroke, contributing to 55.4% of stroke cases. This means that the stroke rate could rise this Christmas as more people live with unmanaged hypertension than in previous years.
In Scotland there are almost 10,000 strokes a year and 128,000 stroke survivors. A stroke is a medical emergency which is caused by a blockage or bleed in the brain cutting off blood supply. Stroke is fatal in over one in seven (15 %) patients.
The main treatments for stroke, thrombolysis and thrombectomy, must be delivered as soon as possible within four and a half hours of symptoms starting, which is why is it vital to call 999 as soon as any sign of stroke appears. Stroke is the UK’s fourth biggest killer and the leading cause of adult disability.
Key stats:
Of those who delayed seeking emergency medical attention, 42% hadn’t wanted to burden emergency services
And 34% of those who delayed seeking emergency medical attention were afraid of catching COVID-19 in hospital.
John Watson, Associate Director Scotland of the Stroke Association said: “When COVID cases rise as quickly as they are doing now, that sets off alarm bells at our charity and everyone involved in the treatment of stroke. More Omicron cases is likely to mean more preventable deaths and disability due to stroke, as people delay seeking emergency medical attention.
“We know that people get scared to go to hospital when cases rise but stroke is a life-threatening condition. Fear of catching COVID and feeling like a burden on the NHS stopped people calling 999 in the past. This is likely to be even worse this Christmas due to the news about ambulance delays. Stroke is an emergency medical condition and should be treated as an emergency from the moment you ring 999.
“You have to remember that stroke is a brain attack and when you see any of the FAST signs of stroke in someone, this means that their brain is dying. You must raise the alarm; you must call 999 immediately.
“After nearly two years in the pandemic we know that many people haven’t had their high blood pressure diagnosed because there haven’t been as many regular, in-person appointments with medical professionals such as GPs. That means more people are living with undetected high blood pressure and are at high risk of stroke. As a result, we could see even more people having a stroke this Christmas than in previous years.”
John continues: “Stroke clinicians and nurses as well as paramedics and therapists have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to maintain stroke services. Everyone at our charity is thankful for their hard work and support.”
Signs of stroke (FAST test)
Face – Can the person smile? Has their face fallen on one side? Arms – Can the person raise both arms and keep them there? Speech problems – Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred? Time – If you see any single one of these signs, it’s time to call 999
Researchers in Scotland are investigating a new treatment for diabetes which they hope could reduce one of the most common complications of the condition – sight loss.
The team of scientists, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), are aiming to find new ways of preventing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and have been given a grant of £286,000 for the study, which is being led by Professor Mirela Delibegovic in collaboration with clinical colleagues Professor John Forrester and Dr Lucia Kuffova at the University of Aberdeen.
People living with cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure can develop a condition called retinal microvascular disease and this is increased in the presence of diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Those with DR develop damage, often permanent, to the retina – the light-sensing layer inside the eyeball – and as a result, are at risk of losing their sight.
People in the UK known to have diabetes are offered retinal screening once a year to detect signs of changes in the retina caused by DR. This new project aims to identify physical signs of DR when they occur, but before they lead to loss of vision, and to help find treatments to prevent it from developing.
Professor Delibegovic (above), who is the Director of the Aberdeen Cardiovascular Disease Centre at the University of Aberdeen, explains: “Given its nature, DR is a significant and worrying complication of diabetes and so it is important that we understand more about it and find ways to reduce and prevent it.
“In addition, as Type 2 diabetes – the most common type of diabetes – can often go undetected and undiagnosed for many years, up to 40% of people with Type 2 diabetes already have signs of DR when they are first diagnosed with the condition. Being able to intervene sooner could make a real difference for people living with diabetes.”
Over the next 3 years, the team will investigate if inhibition of an enzyme, called PTP1B, will lead to protection against retinal microvascular disease and diabetic retinopathy.
The BHF is the largest independent funder of research into heart and circulatory diseases in Scotland and this project is one of more than 100 research projects currently underway in ten universities across Scotland.
James Jopling, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “This is an important project which could benefit patients living with heart and circulatory disease and diabetes. As such, it is vital we understand more about diabetic retinopathy.
“Research projects like this one in Aberdeen help inform how we treat patients, identify those at particular risk and ultimately find new ways to save and improve lives.”
For more information on the BHF’s life saving research and the work of the BHF visit www.bhf.org.uk
Are you living with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, or do you care for someone who is? Are you a health professional working in this field? If so, The Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Heart Disease and Stroke in the Scottish Parliament wants to hear from you.
The CPG is holding an inquiry into the prevention, detection, treatment and management of high blood pressure in Scotland.
The inquiry will gather information from people living with high blood pressure, those who care for someone with the condition, and clinicians and organisations with an interest in high blood pressure services.
A report of the findings will be published in January 2019 and will make clear recommendations to the Scottish Government.
If you live in Scotland and have ever been told that you have high blood pressure (even if you don’t need to take medication to manage this) you can share your views through answering the questions in the survey at bhf.org.uk/hbpinquiry
You can also share your views there if you are a clinician or work for an organisation with an interest in hypertension services in Scotland.
