Blood pressure matters

 

You’ll remember hundreds of passcodes throughout your life. But do you know your blood pressure numbers? 

Knowing and managing your blood pressure can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Why does blood pressure matter? 

Each time your heart beats it pushes blood through your arteries around your body. The force of this pushing is your blood pressure. 

If your blood pressure stays too high for too long, it makes your heart work harder. This increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.  

Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range helps protect your heart and your health.

What is normal blood pressure? 

Blood pressure chart showing low, ideal, normal, normal to high and high ranges with corresponding systolic and diastolic numbers.

Click to view image

For most people an ideal blood pressure is 120/80 or lower. 

For people already on high blood pressure medication, the target blood pressure is 130/80 or below. 

However, the blood pressure that is 'ideal' for you depends on many factors, including your overall risk of heart attack and stroke. 

If you don’t know your blood pressure numbers, ask your doctor or nurse to check them at your next visit, or get them checked at your local pharmacy. 

You can also buy a blood pressure monitor from most pharmacies to use at home.

More about home blood pressure monitoring

Heart Foundation blood pressure checks

Over the month of May we’ll be running free blood pressure checks at the locations listed below. 

Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi 
Location: 113 Broadway, Kaikohe 
Timings: 18 May, 8am to 4pm 

 

Whangārei Central Library (Outside) 
Location: 5 Rust Avenue, Whangārei 
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 3.30pm 

 

The Old Packhouse Market, Kerikeri 
Location: 505 Kerikeri Road, Kerikeri 
Timings: 23 May, 8am to 1pm 

 

Whānau Focus, Dargaville 
Location: 61 Victoria Street, Dargaville 
Timings: 26 May, 9am to 2pm 

 

Pak'n'Save Kaitāia 
Location: 111 North Road, Kaitaia 
Timings: 28 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Woolworths Whangārei 
Location: Okara Drive, Retail Centre, Whangārei 0110 
Timings: 30 May, 10am to 3pm 

Heart Foundation (Te Whare Manawanui) 
Location: 9 Kalmia Street, Ellerslie, Auckland 
Timings: 19 May, 9.30am to 1.30pm 

 

Pukekohe Plaza 
Location: 7 Wesley Street, Pukekohe, Auckland 
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Helensville Woolworths 
Location: 43 Commercial Road, Helensville, Auckland 
Timings: 20 May, 11am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Onehunga 
Location: 1 Princes Street, Onehunga, Auckland 
Timings: 21 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega New Lynn 
Location: 5 Astley Avenue, New Lynn, Auckland 
Timings: 21 May, 11am to 4pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Takanini 
Location: 230 Great South Road Takanini 2112 
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

New World Papatoetoe 
Location: 65 St George Street, Papatoetoe, Auckland 
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Bunnings Warehouse Botany 
Location: 320 Ti Rakau Drive, East Tāmaki, Auckland 
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

New Lynn Library/Community Hub 
Location: 3 Memorial Drive, New Lynn, Auckland 
Timings: 27 May, 11.30am to 4pm 

 

Manurewa Library 
Location: 7 Hill Road, Manurewa, Auckland 
Timings: 28 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Highland Park Library 
Location: 16 Highland Park Drive, Highland Park, Auckland 
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Glenfield Woolworths 
Location: 434 Glenfield Road, Glenfield, Auckland 
Timings: 29 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm 

Bunnings Warehouse Te Rapa 
Location: 446 Te Rapa Road, Hamilton 3200 
Timings: 18 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

The Warehouse Hamilton 
Location: Cnr Ward and, Anglesea Street, Hamilton 3204 
Timings: 19 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Waipā District Library Te Awamutu 
Location: Selwyn Lane, Te Awamutu 3800 
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Morrinsville Library 
Location: 56 Canada Street, Morrinsville 3300 
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Te Aroha Library 
Location: 43 Rewi Street, Te Aroha 3320 
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Matamata Library 
Location: 11 Tainui Street Matamata 3400 
Timings: 28 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Tokoroa Library 
Location: 211 Leith Place, Tokoroa 3420 
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2pm

St Enoch's Presbyterian Church  
Location: 134 Sixteenth Avenue, Tauranga 3112 
Timings: 18 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Papamoa Community Centre 
Location: 15 Gravatt Road, Papamoa Beach, Tauranga 3118 
Timings: 21 May, 10am to 1am 

 

St Enoch's Presbyterian Church 
Location: 134 Sixteenth Avenue Tauranga 3112 
Timings: 25 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Kawerau District Library 
Location: Jellicoe Court, Kawerau 3127 
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 12pm

Skyline Rotorua 
Location: 178 Fairy Springs Rd, Rotorua 3015 
Timings: 17 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mountain Warehouse Rotorua 
Location: 1430 Amohau Street, Rotorua 3010 
Timings: 19 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Palmers Rotorua 
Location: 147 Sala Street, Rotorua 3010 
Timings: 21 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Taupō 
Location: 99 Bella George Lane, Taupo 3379 
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mountain Warehouse Rotorua 
Location: 1430 Amohau Street, Rotorua 3010 
Timings: 23 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Palmers Rotorua 
Location: 147 Sala Street, Rotorua 3010 
Timings: 24 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Taupō 
Location: 99 Bella George Lane, Taupo 3379 
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Taupō Library 
Location: Story Place, Taupo 3330 
Timings: 28 May, 10am to 2pm

The Warehouse Gisborne 
Location: 80 Customhouse Street, East Coast 4010 
Timings: 18 May, 9am to 1pm 

 

The Warehouse Gisborne 
Location: 80 Customhouse Street, East Coast 4010 
Timings: 21 May, 12am to 4pm 

 

Mitre 10 Gisborne 
Location: 24 Derby Street, Gisborne 4010 
Timings: 25 May, 9am to 1pm

Mitre 10 Mega Hastings 
Location: 614 Karamu Road, North Hastings 4122 
Timings: 20 May, 9.30am to 1.30pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Napier 
Location: 180 Prebensen Drive, Napier 4110 
Timings: 21 May, 9.30am to 1.30pm

 

Pakn'Save Tamatea
Location: Cnr Leicester Avenue &, Coventry Avenue, Tamatea, Napier 4112 
Timings: 26 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm  

 

Mitre 10 Sports Park, Hastings 
Location: 42 Percival Road, Hastings 4120 
Timings: 27 May, 8.30am to 12.30pm 

 

Four Square Cape View 
Location: 12 Clifton Road, Haumoana 4102 
Timings: 28 May, 12pm to 4pm

Centre City Shopping Centre  
Location: 11 Gill Street, New Plymouth 
Timings: 18 May, 9am to 12pm 

 

The Warehouse Bell Block 
Location: 26 Bell Block Court, New Plymouth 
Timings: 19 May, 9am to 1pm 

 

Puke Ariki Museum and Library  
Location: 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth 
Timings: 20 May, 9am to 12pm 

 

Centre City, New Plymouth 
Location: 11 Gill Street, New Plymouth 
Timings: 26 May, 12pm to 2pm

Mitre 10 Mega Palmerston North 
Location: 250/270 Featherston Street, Palmerston North 4410 
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Community Centre & Library
Location: 10 Bath Street, Levin 5510 
Timings: 25 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Palmerston North 
Location: 250/270 Featherston Street, Palmerston North 4410 
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

New World Pioneer 
Location: 179 Main Street, Palmerston North 4412 
Timings: 27 May, 11am to 2pm 

 

Trafalgar Square Shopping Centre, Whanganui 
Location: Trafalgar Square Shopping Centre, 100 Taupo Quay, Whanganui 4500 
Timings: 30 May, 10am to 2pm

Mitre 10 Wainuiomata 
Location: 6 Te Ara Raukura, Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt 
Timings: 17 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

New World Wellington City 
Location: Wakefield Street, Wellington 6011 
Timings: 19 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

New World Thorndon 
Location: 150 Molesworth Street, Wellington 6011 
Timings: 21 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Petone 
Location: 25 Bouverie Street, Petone, Lower Hutt 
Timings: 23 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Waitohi Community Hub Johnsonville 
Location: 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville 
Timings: 25 May, 10am to 2pm

Wairarapa Community Centre Trust, Masterton 
Location: 41 Perry Street, Masterton 5810 
Timings: 19 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Masterton 
Location: 159-167 Ngaumutawa Road, Masterton 5840 
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm 

New World Timaru 
Location: 145 Wai-Iti Road, Timaru 7910 
Timings: 19 May, 11am to 3pm 

 

Woolworths Belfast 
Location: 755 Main North Road, Christchurch 8051 
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Bunnings Warehouse Shirley 
Location: 197 Marshlands Road, Shirley, Christchurch 
Timings: 21 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Darfield Bakery 
Location: 60 South Terrace, Darfield 7510 
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm

 

The Loft, Eastgate Shopping Centre 
Location: Eastgate Shopping Centre Level 1, Linwood, Christchurch 
Timings: 25 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Eastgate Mall 
Location: 20 Buckleys Road, Christchurch 8062 
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm

Bunnings Warehouse Nelson 
Location: 76 Saxton Road, Stoke, Nelson 
Timings: 16 May, 10am to 2pm

 

New World Havelock North 
Location: 34 Havelock Road, Havelock North 4130
Timings: 18 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

Farmers Market Nelson 
Location: 23 Halifax Street Nelson 7010 
Timings: 20 May, 8am to 12pm 

 

Bunnings Warehouse Blenheim 
Location: 10 Westwood Avenue, Springlands, Blenheim 
Timings: 23 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm 

 

Bunnings Warehouse Nelson 
Location: 76 Saxton Road, Stoke, Nelson 
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2pm

Otago Museum 
Location: 419 Great King Street, Dunedin 
Timings: 16 May, 11am to 3pm 

 

Golden Centre Mall Dunedin 
Location: 251 George Street, Dunedin 
Timings: 17 May, 10am to 3pm 

 

New World Mosgiel 
Location: 10 Hartstonge Avenue, Mosgiel 
Timings: 19 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

The Warehouse Oamaru 
Location: 27 Eden Street Oamaru 9400 
Timings: 19 May, 10am to 2.30pm 

 

Centre City Mall Dunedin 
Location: 133 Great King Street, Dunedin 
Timings: 21 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm 

 

Community Centre Wānaka 
Location: 34 McDougall Street, Wānaka 
Timings: 23 May, 10am to 12.00pm 

 

Mitre 10 Mega Oamaru 
Location: 1 Dee Street Oamaru 9400 
Timings: 26 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm 

 

South Dunedin Library  
Location: 148 King Edward Street, Dunedin 
Timings: 28 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm

Invercargill Library 
Location: 50 Dee Street, Invercargill 
Timings: 12 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm 

 

Invercargill Central Mall 
Location: 39 Esk Street, Invercargill 
Timings: 26 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm

Thanks to our partnership with Green Cross Health, selected UniChem and Life Pharmacy stores across New Zealand will also be offering free blood pressure checks during the month of May. Click here for locations and dates.

If we’re not in your area, talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist next time you visit. 

For more information on managing your blood pressure and ways to lower it, as well as other helpful resources, visit our blood pressure hub. 

Learn more