More than 1 million New Zealanders are living with high blood pressure. Of those, around 350,000 people don’t know they have it. 

Left unchecked and untreated, high blood pressure increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke, and other heart conditions. However, there are simple steps you can take to reduce this risk.

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? 

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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

Or you can visit us at one of our nationwide blood pressure events.

Heart Foundation blood pressure checks

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

At present, we do not have any blood pressure events scheduled in Northland. For further information, please contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist, or our Heart Line.

Ōtāhuhu Pool and Leisure Centre 
Location: 30 Mason Avenue, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland
Timings: 21 May, 2pm to 6pm 

 

Takanini Bunnings Warehouse
Location: 167-179 Great South Road, Takanini, Auckland
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Ormiston PaknSave
Location: 1 Bellingham Road Flat Bush, Auckland
Timings: 28 May, 10 am to 2pm

 

New Lynn Library/Community Hub
Location: 3 Memorial Drive, New Lynn, Auckland
Timings: 27 May, 9am to 2pm

 

Heart Foundation (Te Whare Manawanui)
Location: 9 Kalmia Street, Ellerslie, Auckland
Timings: 20 May 9am to 2.30pm

 

Mt Roskill Woolworths
Location: 112 Stoddard Rd, Mt Roskill, Auckland
Timings: 29 May, 9.30am to 2pm

 

Papatoetoe Unichem Pharmacy 
Location: 63 Saint George Street, Papatoetoe, Auckland
Timings: 23 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Papatoetoe Hunters Plaza Mall 
Location: 217 Great South Road Auckland, Papatoetoe, Auckland
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Manukau Bunnings Warehouse 
Location: 55 Lambie Drive, Manukau City, Auckland
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2pm

 

New Lynn Mitre10 Mega
Location: 5 Astley Avenue, New Lynn, Auckland
Timings: 22 May, 8.30am to 1.30pm

 

Glen Eden Community Hub
Location: 12/32 Glendale Rd, Glen Eden, Auckland
Timings: 21 May, 9am to 2pm

 

Wesley/ Mt Roskill New World
Location: 53 May Rd, Mt Roskill, Auckland
Timings: 28 May, 9am to 2pm

Hamilton The Warehouse
Location: Cnr Ward and Anglesea Streets, Hamilton
Timings: 17 May, 9am to 2pm

 

Hamilton Lakes Bunnings
Location: 13 Quentin Drive, Hamilton
Timings: 19 May, 9am to 2pm

 

Ruakura Mitre 10 Mega
Location: 41 Ruakura Road, Hamilton East
Timings: 21 May, 9am to 12pm

 

Te Rapa Bunnings
Location: 446 Te Rapa Road, Hamilton
Timings: 22 May, 9am to 2pm

 

Cambridge Mitre10
Location: 1 Oliver Street, Cambridge
Timings: 26 May, 9am to 12pm

 

Matamata The Warehouse
Location: 43/47 Waharoa Road E, Matamata
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 3pm

 

Te Rapa Mitre 10  
Location: Maahanga Drive, Hamilton
Timings: 29 May, 9am to 2pm

 

Taupō Mitre 10 Mega
Location: 99 Bella George Lane, Hilltop, Taupō
Timings:  21 May and 28 May, 11am to 3pm

 

Taupō Library
Location: Story Place, Taupō
Timings:  22 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Tūrangi Library
Location: 3 Turangi Town Centre, Turangi
Timings:  26 May, 10am to 2pm

Kawerau Library
Location: Jellicoe Court Kawerau
Timings: 21 May and 27 May, 10am to 2pm 

 

St Enoch's Presbyterian Church
Location: 134 Sixteenth Avenue, Tauranga
Timings: 19 May and 26 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Whakatane The Hub
Location: 99 The Mill Road, Whakatane 
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Rotorua Mitre 10 Mega
Location: 1542 Amohau Street, Rotorua
Timings: 20 May and 31 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Rotorua Farmlands
Location: 36 Marguerita Street, Glenholme, Rotorua
Timigs: 23 May and 27 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri
Location: 1127 Haupapa Street, Rotorua
Timigs: 19 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Rotorua The Warehouse
Location: Cnr Amohau and, Fenton Street, Rotorua
Timigs: 17 May and 18 May, 10am to 2pm

Poho-o-Rawiri Marae
Location: 24 Ranfurly Street, Inner Kaiti, Kaiti
Timings: 18 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Gisborne Mitre 10
Location: 24 Derby Street, Gisborne
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Gisborne The Warehouse
Location: 80 Customhouse Street, Gisborne
Timings: 20 May and 22 May, 10am to 2pm

Napier The Warehouse
Location: 319 Hastings Street, Napier
Timings: 20 May, 11.30am to 3.30pm

 

Hastings Sports Park
Location: 42 Percival Road, Hastings
Timings: 21 May, 8am to 12pm

 

Hastings Mitre 10 Mega
Location: 614 Karamu Road North, Hastings
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Camberley Community Centre
Location: 703 Kiwi Street, Hastings
Timings: 26 May, 12pm to 4pm

 

Hawke's Bay Airport
Location: 111 Main North Road, Napier
Timings: 29 May, 1pm to 5pm

 

Waipukurau Mitre 10 Mega
Location: 3-7 Takapau Road, Waipukurau
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 2pm

Puke Ariki Library
Location: 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
Timings: 20 May and 28 May, 10am to 1pm

 

New Plymouth Centre City Shopping Centre
Location: 11 Gill St, New Plymouth
Timings: 21 May and 29 May, 11am to 1.30pm

 

Inglewood Library
Location: 46 Rata St, Inglewood
Timings: 19 May, 9.30am to 12pm

 

Bell Block The Warehouse
Location: 26 Bell Block Court, Bell Block, New Plymouth
Timings: 27 May, 11am to 2pm

Te Puāwaitanga o Hanana Shannon Health & Wellbeing Centre 
Location: 36 Plimmer Terrace, Shannon
Timings: 31 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Ngā Kaitaki o Ngāti Kauwhata 
Location: 139 South Street, Feilding 
Timings: 22 May, 9.30am to 1.30pm

 

Palmerston North Downtown Shopping Centre
Location: 38-60 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North
Timings: 17 May, 10am to 12pm

 

Manawatū Central District Libraries
Location: Te Āhuru Mōwai 64 Stafford Street, Feilding
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 12pm

 

Whanganui Trafalgar Square Shopping Mall
Location: 100 Taupo Quay, Whanganui
Timings: 23 May, 10am to 2pm

Petone Mitre 10 MEGA
Location: 25 Bouverie Street, Lower Hutt
Timings: 17 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Waitohi Community Hub
Location: 34 Moorefield Road, Wellington
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Porirua North City Plaza
Location: Walton Leigh Avenue, Porirua 
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2.30pm

 

Kilbirnie Community Centre
Location: 56 Bay Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington
Timings: 21 May, 10am to12pm
 

Newlands Community Centre
Location: 9 Batchelor Street, Newlands, Wellington
Timings: 23 May, 11am to 1pm

 

Queensgate Mall
Location: Cnr Queens Drive and Bunny Street, Lower Hutt
Timings: 22 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Wairarapa Farmers Market
Location: 15/47 Judds Road, Masterton
Timings: 24 May, 9am to 2pm

Habitat for Humanity - ReStore
Location: Tahunanui Drive, Nelson
Timings: 17 May and 21 May, 10am to 1pm

 

Nelson Farmers Market
Location: Halifax St, Nelson
Timings: 28 May, 9.30am to 1pm

 

Stoke Hall
Location: Songer Street, Stoke, Nelson
Timings: 21 May, 5.30pm to 7pm

Methodist Mission Hauora Day
Location: 69 Scott Street, Blenheim
Timings: 29 May, 11am to 2pm

Westport New World
Location: 244 Palmerston Street, Westport
Timings: 20 May, 9.30am to 2.30pm

 

Greymouth New World
Location: Cnr High & Marlborough streets, Greymouth 
Timings: 21 May, 9.30am to 2.30pm

 

Hokitika New World
Location: 116 Revell Street, Hokitika
Timings: 22 May, 9.30am to 2.30pm

Riccarton Market
Location: Riccarton Racecourse, Christchurch
Timings: 18 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Eastgate Shopping Centre
Location: 20 Buckleys Road, Linwood, Christchurch
Timings: 29 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Cheviot Four Square
Location: 2 Rolleston Street, Canterbury
Timings: 27 May, 10 am to 2.30pm

 

Kaikōura New World
Location: 124-128 Beach Road, Kaikōura
Timings: 28 May, 10 am to 2pm

 

Timaru Bunnings
Location: 233 Evans Street, Timaru
Timings: 20 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Temuka New World
Location: 185 King Street, Temuka
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Timaru Farmlands
Location: 32 North Street, Timaru
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Timaru New World
Location: 145 Wai-Iti Road, Highfield, Timaru
Timings: 17 May, 10am to 2pm

Oamaru Mitre 10
Location: Dee Street Oamaru
Timings: 27 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Oamaru The Warehouse
Location: 27 Eden Street, Oamaru
Timings: 20 May, 12pm to 4pm

 

Golden Centre Mall Dunedin
Location: 251 George Street, Dunedin
Timings: 17 May, 11am to 3pm

 

Centre City Mall, Dunedin
Location: 133 Great King St, Dunedin
Timings: 24 May, 11am to 3pm and 29 May, 9.30am to 1.30pm

 

Mosgiel New World
Location: 10 Hartstonge Avenue, Mosgiel
Timings: 26 May, 10am to 2pm

Invercargill Library 
Location: 50 Dee Street, Invercargill
Timings: 21 May, 10am to 2pm

 

Invercargill The Warehouse
Location: 70 - 100 Leven Street Invercargill
Timings: 20 May, 12.30pm to 4.30pm

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

For more information on managing and lowering blood pressure, as well as other helpful resources, visit our blood pressure hub. 

Learn more