Blood Pressure

[Lawrence78]

Hello. Just a simple question. I recently went to my walk-in for a separate issue and it seems my BP was checked at being a bit high (they have been monitoring me for some time, keeping an eye on it).

I just recently got a text message from my GP asking me to make an appointment (unsure if it would be on the phone or not) with their pharmacist to ''discuss my BP''.

Any idea why I would need to speak with the pharmacist and not my GP? Has anyone else had this type of message? Do they mean in person or over the phone?

[Happyrosie]

when my high bp was diagnosed 20 years ago everything was through a senior practice nurse. I didn’t see a doc.

Nowadays most docs surgeries or groups of surgeries employ a pharmacist. They, the pharmacists, are much more tuned in to the many and varied medicines available, and are well trained to question you on the different aspects of your lifestyle and diet.

They should start by encouraging you to change whatever in your lifestyle and diet needs changing, if anything, and may wait for a month or two before recommending a prescription.

The pharmacist at my surgery looks after my “bp health”, over the phone as I have a machine at home, and I’m quite happy with this.

Whether your consultation will be in person or by phone I don’t know,

[MountainGoat52]

Same asHappyrosie. My GP practice has a part-time pharmacist. She has proved to be much better at getting my medication sorted than my GP. 😀

[fishonabike]

as Happyrosie explained pharmacists are now able to take on this BP and hypertension monitoring and advice role as a way of reducing the workload of GPs

[Lawrence78]

Okay thanks people. Can I ask, why is it when I check my BP the 1st reading is normally bad, but then it gradually gets better with a 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc...I have noticed when in the hospital or walk-in they just take the reading and go with the 1st which is normally high. This doesn't seem very accurate to me and probably why I have triggered their attention.

[caya49 in reply to Lawrence78]

it happens to me aswell my doctor tells me to take it 3 times and the last reading its the one i should pay atencion to

[Appleloveme]

Hi Lawrence 78 I had a similar thing with the pharmacist calling after a diagnosis, regarding medication but it seems strange because I had already talked to my Gp. It usually meant over the phone in my case. Take care.

[Appleloveme]

Regarding your Bp the third or fourth is a better reading. I take mine at home and the 1st and 2nd are always that but higher. I am medically trained. If I have an appointment with the nurse or the gp, they always do one reading, I insist they do two more. I do think nowadays they do not have time.