Blood Pressure Out of Sight Out of Mind

So concerned about recent statistics, the Blood Pressure Association has launched the ‘Newly Diagnosed' appeal which aims to provide all newly diagnosed high blood pressure patients with informative support packs.

According to the statistics, over 70% of high blood pressure sufferers do not have their condition under control and 50% of new patients stop following their recommended treatment plan within their first twelve months of diagnosis. It does seem crazy that people with such a potentially life threatening condition should choose to ignore the dangers of leaving their high blood pressure untreated. There could be many reasons for not continuing treatment or for not sticking to lifestyle changes… It could be a case of ‘out of sight out of mind' as after all, high blood pressure rarely shows any symptoms and only rears its ugly head when playing its part in more serious and possibly fatal instances. Most people also have difficulty in believing that anything bad could happen to them. The ‘it won't be me' attitude is common amongst people and is a perfectly natural belief, but when you are diagnosed with a condition that can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney disease amongst others, surely this is the time to realise that the threat is very real.

It is possible that the dangers of untreated high blood pressure have not been effectively communicated to this group of patients and this may the reason for their failure to stick to lifestyle changes and prescribed treatment. However, that is not a criticism to medical professionals who are delivering the initial diagnosis. It's likely that a lot of the information provided during consultation is not absorbed fully by the patient, possibly due to shock or perhaps because there is simply so much to take in.

The Blood Pressure Associations ‘newly diagnosed' information packs are designed to be issued to new hypertension patients at the point of diagnosis. The packs will help to ensure that patients have all of the necessary information, tools and skills they need to effectively monitor and control their condition. The added benefit of the packs is that patients will have the ability to study them in their own time and refer back to them at a later time, acting as a constant reminder of the importance of monitoring and controlling their condition.

Owning a personal blood pressure monitor can also assist in controlling the condition. Whilst blood pressure is measured during doctor's visits, it is often beneficial to monitor blood pressure in between appointments to give a more consistent and accurate reading. Monitoring blood pressure at home also gives more frequent updates on pressure levels and allows the patient to see the effects of persevering with medical treatments and lifestyle changes, making the condition and pressure readings more tangible.

The British Hypertension Society (BHS) have conducted studies on blood pressure monitors to make the process of purchasing a quality monitor easier for the home user. A range of BHS validated blood pressure monitors can be purchased online from First Aid Warehouse, the leading online supplier of first aid and medical products and equipment including blood pressure monitors from leading manufacturers such as Omron, A&D and Microlife. As the premier online supplier of BP monitors, First Aid Warehouse can offer excellent prices with secure online ordering and delivery direct to the door.