Dentists and opticians now offering FREE extra tests for hidden killer affecting 14 million Britons
Dentists and opticians are now offering blood pressure tests in a bid to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in Britons.
Under this programme, more than 60 practices in England offer the checks as part of routine appointments.
Officials estimate that 100,000 patients could be tested in the next 12 months who might otherwise go unchecked.
The condition, also known as a ‘silent killer’, is considered fatal to more than 14 million adults in the UK. In medical terms, hypertension is known as hypertension.
According to the British Heart Foundation, an estimated five million of these conditions remain undiagnosed.
Under the programme, more than 60 practices in England will offer the checks as part of routine appointments. Officials estimate the pilot could see 100,000 patients tested over the next 12 months who might not otherwise have been checked.
High blood pressure often does not cause symptoms until it is too late, but high blood pressure is also associated with a higher risk of kidney disease and even vascular dementia.
The checks are carried out by specially trained staff, including dental assistants, opticians and technicians, and are free of charge.
The rollout was announced at the European Society of Cardiology annual conference in London.
Helen Williams, NHS national clinical director for cardiovascular disease prevention, said: ‘These convenient checks with dentists and optometrists will allow thousands of people to monitor their blood pressure, which could potentially save lives.
‘Many healthy people over 40 only visit their GP when they are feeling unwell. But by offering these important checks as part of routine dental or eye test appointments, we can identify and support more people at risk.
‘High blood pressure is a major factor in many cardiovascular diseases. However, because there are usually no symptoms, many people do not know that they have it. That is why I would urge anyone who wants to be tested to come forward.’
Sonya Babu-Narayan, deputy medical director at the British Heart Foundation and a cardiologist, added: ‘It is worrying that as many as 4.2 million people in England are living with high blood pressure without knowing it.
‘High blood pressure is usually easily treated, so it is important to get yourself checked.
‘Blood pressure testing is very simple and easy, so if your dentist or optician can offer you this, take the opportunity to get tested. It could save your life.
Health officials are concerned about an increase in cardiac deaths among men since the pandemic. Men are less likely than women to accept an offer for a study.
However, dental directors warned that sufficient funding would be needed to make the plan work effectively.
Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association, said: ‘Smart investment here could prevent disease and save our NHS a fortune.
‘Dentists are prepared to do their bit, but any gains will remain purely theoretical without the funding and reforms needed to save this service.’
Latest NHS figures show that around 26 million adults (around 60 per cent of the population) have not had a check-up in the past two years.
This is one of the lowest percentages since the first modern measurements in 2006.
Dentistry in the NHS has been in crisis for years, with leaders claiming the sector is chronically underfunded, making it financially unviable to provide treatment.
The problem is compounded by the fact that more and more dentists are leaving the NHS and the remaining dentists are taking on more and more patients.
Today more patients turned up wanting an NHS dentist, only to be met with a sign on the door saying: ‘We are no longer accepting patients.’ Pictured is the sign outside St Pauls Dental Practice earlier this year
The NHS dentistry crisis has been brewing for years, with some Britons being forced to pull their own teeth with pliers or travel abroad to see a dentist due to a lack of places in the UK. Others have been queuing from 4am to get a spot at dental practices that have opened their lists to NHS patients. Pictured is the queue of people outside Saint Pauls Dental Practice, in St Paul’s, Bristol, which police were forced to break up earlier this year
Britons also said they had been on waiting lists for months and travelled abroad to see a dentist because they couldn’t get an NHS appointment, criticising the system as ‘Victorian’.
Others had to pull their own teeth with pliers or travel abroad for treatment.
This comes after the NHS announced last week that it will introduce health MoTs in offices and factories from next month, as part of a major drive to detect heart disease and diabetes early.
Checks for blood pressure, BMI and blood tests for cholesterol and blood sugar levels are offered to middle-aged workers from bus drivers to carers.
Health officials hope to reach those at highest risk by reaching 130,000 people in their workplaces.
Following the launch of Pharmacy First earlier this year, nine out of ten pharmacies in England now offer the checks.
Between January and June, 1.4 million walk-in tests were carried out.