NORTH READING — A new self-service blood pressure station was established at the North Reading Town Hall Oct. 24.
This free service is a collaboration between the North Reading Health Department and the American Heart Association (AHA) to help any member of the public check or monitor their blood pressures free of charge.
Adriene Worthington, M.Ed., RDN, who serves as VP of Community Impact for the AHA, was present when the BP station was unveiled along with Pam Merrill, RN, BSN, who serves as the town’s Public Health Nurse, Town Administrator Michael Gilleberto and members of the public.
The self-service BP station is located in Town Hall, 235 North St., in an area in front of the Health and Building Departments. It is open during the Town Hall’s regular business hours.
“Our goal is to make this available to residents who just need or want to come in and do a quick blood pressure check and be provided with literature from the AHA regarding when they should contact their Primary Care Provider,” commented Merrill,
Merrill added, “The most recent data for North Reading from 2023 shows that 51% of people between the ages of 55 and 64 have some type of hypertension (high blood pressure). That jumps to 64% in the 65- to 74-year-old age range and 73% in the 75- to 84-year-old age range.” This data was obtained from https://healthdatatool.mass.gov/report-tool/). Approximately one-quarter of the town’s population is over the age of 70, she said.
The Health Department also has loaner blood pressure cuffs for anyone in need of utilizing it for short-term home monitoring. Contact the Health Department to inquire about borrowing it at 978-664-6042.