The IPU supported the Irish Heart Foundation’s recent ‘Before Damage is Done’ campaign, an initiative to drive public awareness about the dangers of high blood pressure.

Speaking as part of the campaign, Susan O’Dwyer, Head of Professional Services at the IPU said: “Local pharmacies nationwide offer blood pressure testing and many also offer 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. We fully support this campaign and continue to encourage people to call to their local pharmacy to get their blood pressure checked.”

Research published earlier this year by Trinity College Dublin revealed “substantial and persistent gaps” in the diagnosis and management of high blood pressure among the over-50s in Ireland. It found that 62 per cent of adults aged over 50 with high blood pressure were not appropriately managed, meaning they were undiagnosed, untreated, or treated but not controlled — this equates to approximately 445,000 people nationwide.

“There is often no single cause of high blood pressure,” said Janis Morrissey, Director of Health Promotion at the Irish Heart Foundation. “A number of factors combine to raise it, and high blood pressure can run in families. But you won’t know you have it unless you get it checked.”

The campaign ran for two weeks from 11 May across radio, digital and out-of-home ads.