7th June 2010
The NHS in Bristol is urging people to learn how to check their
own pulse as part of a national campaign to help prevent future
health problems including strokes.
The Know Your Pulse campaign is being launched as part of
Arrhythmia Awareness Week which runs from 7 to 13 June 2010. The
pulse is one of the easiest ways of identifying potential cardiac
arrhythmias.
Two public awareness events will be taking place in Bristol on
Thursday 10th June.
- Arrhythmia specialist nurses from University Hospitals Bristols
Heart Institute will be offering pulse checks to the public in ASDA
Bedminster from 8.30am " 12 noon.
- NHS Bristol will also be offering free nurse pulse checks to
the public at the BAWA centre in Filton from 2pm to 5pm.
The nurses will be encouraging members of the public to have a
better idea of what their normal pulse is and to regularly check
their pulse so that they can identify if there is anything unusual
about it in the future.
An arrhythmia is when the heart occasionally or consistently
beats too quickly, too slowly, abnormally or irregularly. Cardiac
arrhythmias vary widely in type and severity. More than two million
people in the UK (diagnosed and undiagnosed) have an arrhythmia and
it can affect people of all ages. Untreated, some arrhythmias can
lead to sudden cardiac arrest, stroke and loss of consciousness.
Once diagnosed cardiac arrhythmias can usually be treated
effectively with drugs, devices, surgery, or a combination of these
approaches.
You can download a simple four step guide on how to take your
pulse at: www.knowyourpulse.org
Carolyn Shepherd, Arrhythmia Specialist Nurse at the Bristol Heart
Institute, says:
Knowing your pulse is one of the most effective ways to
identify if you might be suffering from a cardiac arrhythmia. We
are encouraging members of the public to have a better idea of what
their normal pulse is and to regularly check their pulse so that
they can identify if there is anything unusual about it in the
future. If they pick up an unusual pulse then they should talk to
their doctor.
The national campaign aims to raise awareness and promote better
understanding of arrhythmic conditions. Arrhythmia Alliance, the
organisation behind the campaign, is working to ensure pulse checks
become routine procedure.
