Initiative announced on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” today
DEERFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–According to the American Heart Association, one in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure, making hypertension among the leading conditions that can be controlled or managed through early detection. Walgreens (NYSE: WAG)(NASDAQ: WAG) is now offering free blood pressure testing through Sunday at all Walgreens pharmacies and Take Care Clinics nationwide, as announced on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” today.
“It’s extremely important for people to know their numbers when it comes to blood pressure, because often times there may not be symptoms that alert you to a problem”
“It’s extremely important for people to know their numbers when it comes to blood pressure, because often times there may not be symptoms that alert you to a problem,” said Richard Ashworth, Walgreens vice president of pharmacy operations. “Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in our country today, and by offering free blood pressure testing at our more than 7,600 locations, we hope these services and interaction with our health care service providers encourage more people to make blood pressure monitoring a practice in managing their overall health.”
Blood pressure testing is available to adults ages 18 and over at all Walgreens pharmacies and Take Care Clinics today through Sunday, Jan. 16, during regular pharmacy and clinic hours. each test includes a free consultation from a Walgreens pharmacist or Take Care Clinic nurse practitioner. the free blood pressure tests are not being done for diagnostic or treatment purposes and recipients are encouraged to report results to their primary care provider.
For more information or to find the nearest participating location, visit walgreens.com/findastore.
More than 76 million people in the U.S. age 20 and older have high blood pressure, American Heart Association statistics show. of those, the association says about 22 percent are unaware of their condition, 69 percent are receiving treatment and only 45 percent have their blood pressure controlled.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com) is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2010 sales of $67 billion. the company operates 7,655 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with pharmacy benefit solutions and respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.