City players give blood pressure check backing
FOOTBALLERS from Cardiff City have been the very first to undertake blood pressure checks for the May Measurement Month campaign.
They took part to mark the start of the month-long global initiative supported in Wales by academics at Cardiff Metropolitan University and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru to encourage people to check their blood pressure levels.
High blood pressure is the single biggest treatable cause of death worldwide, with one in five people in Wales alone already being treated for the condition.
Raised blood pressure (hypertension) is the cause of many cardiovascular conditions including stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and dementia.
If untreated the condition can put people at risk of a cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, as well as heart and kidney damage.
Cardiff City players and management recently took part in a blood pressure check held by Cardiff Met University and BHF Cymru at their training ground.
Cardiff Metropolitan University and BHF Cymru are working to increase opportunities like these for individuals across the country to have their vblood pressure checked throughout May.
Cardiff City club doctor Len Nokes said: “Staff and players at Cardiff City Football Club fully understand the need to get your blood pressure checked on a regular basis.
“It is a hidden danger that if picked up early can be treated successfully and prevent life-threatening events such as strokes and heart disease.”
Dr Barry McDonnell, senior lecturer in cardiovascular physiology at Cardiff Metropolitan University, said: “This is a very important public health initiative where we hope to create awareness about the risk associated with having high blood pressure.
“Through this initiative we will identify people in society that do not know they are walking around with abnormally high blood pressure and at increased risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
“We want to create awareness about the importance of knowing your blood pressure and therefore your cardiovascular risk.
“The only way to know your risk is to have your blood pressure measured.”
Joanne Oliver, health service engagement lead for BHF Cymru, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University to support May Measurement Month 2017 in Wales, an institution where we are currently funding life-saving cardiovascular research.
“We hope that MMM17 will engage with the thousands of people in Wales unaware of their current blood pressure levels.
“We know that hypertension is a significant risk factor for a number of serious heart and circulatory conditions.
“We urgently need to fund more research to better understand the impacts of high blood pressure, how this can cause serious cardiovascular conditions, in order to prevent these conditions developing and to save more lives.”