Walgreens, Take Care offer free blood pressure testing

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has announced that it is offering free blood pressure testing through Jan. 16 at all Walgreens pharmacies and Take Care Clinics nationwide, as announced Thursday on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Blood pressure testing is available to adults ages 18 years and older during regular pharmacy and clinic hours. Each test includes a free consultation from a Walgreens pharmacist or Take Care Clinic nurse practitioner. The free blood pressure tests are not being done for diagnostic or treatment purposes and recipients are encouraged to report results to their primary care providers.

"It's extremely important for people to know their numbers when it comes to blood pressure, because oftentimes there may not be symptoms that alert you to a problem," stated Richard Ashworth, Walgreens VP pharmacy operations. "Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in our country today, and by offering free blood pressure testing at our more than 7,600 locations, we hope these services and interaction with our healthcare service providers encourage more people to make blood pressure monitoring a practice in managing their overall health."

According to the American Heart Association, more than 76 million people in the United States age 20 years and older have high blood pressure. Of those, the association stated that about 22% are unaware of their condition, 69% are receiving treatment and 45% have their blood pressure controlled.