Our pharmacy makes it easy to monitor and manage your blood pressure
High blood pressure affects one in four Canadians. It increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and more. Many Canadians have high blood pressure without knowing it. That’s because high blood pressure, or hypertension, often doesn’t cause any symptoms.
Checking your blood pressure is one of the best ways to protect your health. If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe one or more medications to lower your blood pressure. Your healthcare provider will also suggest lifestyle changes you can make to help lower your blood pressure.
At our pharmacies, we make it easy to check your blood pressure. Each of our pharmacy locations has blood pressure monitors, where you can check your blood pressure.
How to check your blood pressure
Your blood pressure can change, so you should check it regularly. Your family healthcare provider or pharmacist can tell you how often you should check your blood pressure, based on your age and other risk factors.
To check your blood pressure at one of our pharmacies, simply place your upper arm into the blood pressure cuff and follow the instructions on the screen. The digital monitor will display your systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements and indicate if your blood pressure is high, low, or in the normal range. If you get a high blood pressure warning, please talk to our pharmacist for advice on what to do next. By using our blood pressure monitors over time and recording your readings, you can see how lifestyle changes and medications affect your blood pressure.
Follow these tips to ensure you get an accurate blood pressure measurement:
- Don’t smoke, exercise, or drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages for 30 minutes before checking your blood pressure. This can lead to a false reading of high blood pressure.
- Check your blood pressure at the same time of day, to more accurately compare your blood pressure readings over time.
- Avoid crossing your legs. Keep both feet flat.
- Rest your forearm on the table below the arm cuff.
- Sit comfortably and don’t talk while you’re checking your blood pressure levels.
Ways to lower blood pressure
If you’re prescribed blood pressure medication, be sure not to skip doses and closely follow the instructions on when and how to take your medication. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about your medication.
A healthy lifestyle helps you maintain optimal blood pressure and avoid cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Follow these tips:
- Reduce your salt intake
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that is low in fat
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Reach for foods rich in potassium, such as bananas, sweet potatoes, avocados, cantaloupes, and spinach. (Potassium can help lower blood pressure, but too much potassium is not recommended for people with certain health conditions, so check with your doctor first.)
- Get regular physical activity
- Limit your alcohol intake
- Don’t smoke
- Take time to relax
