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Stroke

Free blood pressure checks for Queenslanders

Early in 2009, Queensland adults will have access to free blood pressure checks at participating pharmacies statewide.

The free monitoring service is part of the ‘Know Your Numbers’ program, aimed at helping reduce the number of Queenslanders having preventable strokes.

Stroke is Australia's second single biggest killer, after coronary heart disease. It kills more women than breast cancer and costs the country more than $2 billion every year.

High blood pressure is the most significant risk factor for stroke, so it pays to get a blood pressure check to ‘Know Your Numbers’ and potential risk.

From next year, more than 50,000 Queenslanders are expected to have their blood pressure checked at one of 300 pharmacies within the state.

By 2011, it is hoped up to 600 pharmacies will participate in the program. 

The program is joint collaboration between the Queensland Government, the National Stroke Foundation and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (Queensland Branch).

Participating pharmacies are being finalised for when the program starts in 2009. 

“Know Your Numbers” was successfully piloted in Victoria last year. Key results include:

• approximately 4,000 people had their blood pressure (BP) checked during the ‘Know Your Numbers’ Campaign
• 1 in 2 people who attended a ‘pressure station’ did not know or were unsure when asked if they knew their BP numbers
• This was the first blood pressure reading in over a year for approximately 300 people (12%)
• Only 18% of registrants had a normal reading; 37% had ‘high normal’ readings and 46% of those tested had high readings (less 140/90mm Hg)
• One third of people with ‘high’ readings reported that they did not know their BP level
• Overall 29% of people who passed through a pressure station were recommended to visit their GP.

The program has recently been trialled in South East Queensland. For more information go to www.strokefoundation.com.au/know-your-numbers

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Questions and Answers

Q: What is Stroke?
Stroke includes a group of diseases that affect the arteries that supply blood to the brain. There are a number of forms of stroke:

• Ischaemic stroke - an artery supplying blood to the brain suddenly becomes blocked. This type of stoke accounts for 85% of all strokes.
• Haemorrhagic stroke - an artery supplying blood to the brain suddenly bleeds. This type of stroke accounts for 15% of all strokes.
• Transient ischaemic attack - also known as a mini stroke, with over 75% lasting less than 5 minutes. Blood supply to the brain is reduced temporarily. This type of stroke is considered a risk factor for a disabling stroke event.

(Source: AIHW (2002) Chronic Diseases and Associated Risk Factors in Australia 2001)

Risk Factors

• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Atrial fibrillation
• Transient ischaemic attack
• Smoking
• Excess body weight
• Physical inactivity
• Poor diet and nutrition
• Alcohol misuse

(Source: AIHW (2002) Chronic Diseases and Associated Risk Factors in Australia 2001)

Q: How common is stroke?
For 45 year olds, the risk of having a stroke before age 85 is 1 in 4 for men and 1 in 5 for females.

This year about 60,000 Australians will suffer new and recurrent strokes, a number that is likely to increase as our population ages.

Q: Why is it important to know what my blood pressure is?
You should ‘know your numbers’ because high blood pressure is one of the major contributing risk factors for stroke. Keeping your blood pressure low can reduce your risk of a stroke.

Q: How often should I have a blood pressure test?
It is recommended that all adults over 18 years have their blood pressure checked every two years. This need increases if you are overweight, a smoker, or do not do enough physical activity.

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More information

For further information on risk factors, prevention, treatment and living with stroke:

• Health Insite 
• National Stroke Foundation
• Stroke Association of Queensland

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