People in Midlands urged to get blood pressure checks as 10% at higher risk of stroke

People in the Midlands are being urged to get checked for high blood pressure, as figures show that 200,000 people living in the region have survived a stroke.

Strokes are a leading cause of death a disability in the UK, and high blood pressure is the biggest single risk factor for a stroke.

Paul Stansall from Newark in Nottinghamshire had a stroke while driving home from work, and lost the use of his legs and one of his arms, and has affected his cognitive abilities.

He said: "I couldn't tell you my phone number, it's very frustrating."

Mick Hall from Stone in Staffordshire had a stroke 12 months ago, caused by high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and is still undergoing rehab treatment.

"I wasn't aware I had [high blood pressure] before, I was a typical man, I just got on with life, I didn't know I had those signs or risk factors."

Stroke Consultant Dr Indira Natarajan said: "Around 85% of the population does not know they have high blood pressure, which is the main risk factor for strokes.

"My advice is once you are around the age of 50 or if you have headaches or blurred vision, please get your blood pressure checked - you can just walk into your pharmacy, you don't need to see a doctor to get it checked."

Patients across the Midlands over the age of 40 can get their blood pressure taken for free at their local pharmacy.

In the East Midlands, the BP@home scheme gives patients an option to loan a blood pressure monitor if readings are higher than nationally recommended levels.

Tariq Razzaq, Superintendent pharmacist at Stone Pharmacy Group, said: "It's just a blood pressure check, and it could save your life."

"You might feel absolutely fine in yourself, but until you get it checked, you're never going to know."

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

Across the Midlands, more than one in 10 who got checked in 2024 were identified as having high blood pressure (47,000 people out of 458,000 checks).

The Stroke Association says 100,000 people have strokes each year, and there are 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK.

According to its figures, nearly 200,000 people in the Midlands have survived a stroke.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know