City Gives Out Free Blood Pressure Machines
The New York City Health Department is delivering free blood pressure machines to pharmacies in neighborhoods with residents suffering from the highest rates of hypertension.
The agency says one in three people in Harlem, the South Bronx, and in parts of Brooklyn suffer from high blood pressure.
It describes high blood pressure as a time bomb that can trigger a heart attack or stroke without warning.
With no symptoms, the agency says, getting checked is the only way to know if someone has high blood pressure.
The health department is providing the machines as part of a pilot program that went into effect in Harlem in the summer. The South Bronx and Brooklyn will be getting the machines in the next few weeks.
Residents of those neighborhoods are being urged to go to their pharmacies for a free blood pressure reading.
The kiosks also provide tips on how to control blood pressure.
