AS many of your readers will know, The Stroke Association's Stroke Awareness Week will be taking place from September 27 to October 3.

This year the campaign will focus on the prevention of stroke by having regular blood pressure checks. Thousands of GPs surgeries across the country will be linking up with us during the week, and many will be holding blood pressure checking sessions, as will hundreds of occupational health nurses in the workplace.

They will also have our information leaflet, which highlights the dangers of ignoring high blood pressure, the most important risk factor for stroke - the single biggest cause of death and serious disability in this country.

The Stroke Association would urge all your readers over the age of 40 to have their blood pressure checked over the next couple of months - four out of every 10 deaths due to a stroke could be prevented by controlling high blood pressure. Having a check could therefore be the difference between life and death.

For more information on stroke please call The Stroke Association on 0845 30 33 100.

Sue Knight

Stroke Awareness Week Co-ordinator

The Stroke Association

London

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