Check Your Blood Pressure Before Scarborough Kick Off

Friday, 8 September 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

Free blood pressure checks are being offered ahead of Scarborough Athletic's home game tomorrow.

People in the Scarborough area are being encouraged to take advantage of a simple free blood pressure check that could bring to light the risk of conditions that cause more than 400 deaths each year in the area.

As part of Blood Pressure UK’s Know Your Numbers Week, local people are invited to a drop-in session to get a free check at Scarborough Sports Village on Saturday, September 9, between 1pm and 3pm, ahead of Scarborough Athletic’s match against Brackley Town.

A blood pressure check can be the first step to preventing heart attacks and strokes, which North Yorkshire Council says cause more than 35 deaths each month in the Scarborough area. High blood pressure is a major cause of these diseases, but it usually has no symptoms until it is too late.

High blood pressure can also lead to vascular dementia, and although around 22,000 people in the Scarborough area have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure, thousands more will have it without knowing.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for public health, Cllr Michael Harrison, said:

“Fortunately, many of the causes of high blood pressure, such as smoking, being overweight, eating too much salt and not doing enough physical activity, can be changed, so knowing your numbers means you can start making healthy lifestyle changes or start taking medicines if you need them to bring your blood pressure down to a healthy level.

“Local support is available, as we commission Living Well Smokefree to help residents to stop smoking, and YOURHealth to help residents of the coast and moors with weight management.”

Martin Russell, active community manager from Everyone Active, which manages the sports village in partnership with the council, said:

“The sports village offers a wide range of activities, classes and schemes to suit people of all ages and abilities.

“Sessions such as Good Boost and Escape Pain courses are great for those suffering with chronic joint pain alongside chair-based exercise and falls prevention classes. Our exercise referral scheme takes referrals from health professionals for those living with, or at risk of developing a number of long-term conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and arthritis.”

Further “pressure stations” will be held in the coastal areas of North Yorkshire during the autumn and will be publicised locally.