Blood
Charleston County libraries providing blood pressure kits for check-out at every branch
Sep
Charleston County residents can now check out free blood pressure kits at all 18 branches of the county public library system.
The kits can be checked out with a library card. They include a blood pressure cuff, instructions and educational materials about how to properly manage your blood pressure.
The initiative is made possible through a partnership with the American Heart Association and is an expansion of an incumbent program, Wellness in the South-East (WISE) Telehealth Program, which provided free blood pressure kits to patrons in rural areas of Charleston County.
“Around half of American adults have high blood pressure and many don’t even realize it,” Ren Ruggiero, the Charleston County Public Library’s community health worker said in a media release.
“By checking out a blood pressure monitor kit from your library, you’ll be able to keep track of your blood pressure at home while learning more about healthy blood pressure ranges,” he said.
According to the American Heart Association, one in three adults with hypertension in South Carolina don’t realize they have it.
Each of the 18 branch locations of the Charleston County Public Library system have one blood pressure kit available for checkout, provided patrons have a library card. Patrons can check out a kit for up to four weeks at a time and are able to renew their lease on the kit twice. Provided.
High blood pressure is a condition where the pressure of the blood in your arteries is too high. There are usually no symptoms.
Hypertension is also one of the most common risk factors for stroke, which according to the American Heart Association is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.
Stroke is also a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the U.S, according to the AHA.
Blood pressure numbers of less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered within the normal range. People with elevated blood pressure are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition.
According to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, common ways to lower blood pressure include eating less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day, maintaining a healthy weight and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
Heart Association spokesperson Katie Schumacher said the goal of this collaboration is to help decrease the rates of undiagnosed hypertension.
“Being able to monitor your blood pressure at home is a big step in the right direction,” Schumacher said. “By partnering with CCPL, we are reaching more South Carolinians to help them know their numbers and help prevent or control risks of stroke and heart disease.”
Each branch has one kit available for checkout. Library patrons can check out a kit for up to four weeks. Patrons are also allowed to renew their lease on the kit twice if another patron hasn’t put it on hold.
“We’ve had multiple patrons check them out and many people have found them really useful,” Kathleen Montgomery, associate director of community engagement for CCPL, said.
Blood pressure kits available for checkout at Charleston County Library’s contain a blood pressure cuff, instructions on how to properly take your blood pressure, tracking information and educational materials about how to properly manage your condition. Provided.
Montgomery said while people have found it useful, so far no one has shared that the kits have led to them being diagnosed with hypertension.
To check out a kit, visit ccpl.org or ask a CCPL staff member at your local branch. For more information on high blood pressure and stroke, visit heart.org or www.scdhec.gov/health/diseases-conditions/heart-disease-stroke/high-blood-pressure.
