six million French people are unaware that they suffer from it, warns the national secretary of pharmacies Giphar

As World Hypertension Day approaches, which takes place on Friday May 17, the Giphar pharmacy group is offering free tests in their pharmacies to screen customers for high blood pressure. “We have 17 millions of French people who are screened [comme étant] hypertensive, and we have six millions who ignore each other”alert on franceinfo Caroline Masset, pharmacist in Épernay, in Marne, and national secretary of Giphar.

Hypertension is “the first chronic pathology in France”and the “leading preventable cause of stroke”it relates to “as many women as men”, explains the pharmacist. Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure monitor that wraps around the arm and inflates. This test can be offered by doctors, particularly general practitioners, but also in all pharmacies, even if it is not necessarily free. During pharmacy screening tests, when the blood pressure is greater than or equal to 13.8 “we redirect to the doctors”indicates Caroline Masset.

A disease with several factors

“High blood pressure is a silent disease”, reminds the pharmacist, there are therefore not necessarily any warning signs. On the other hand, there is “a family component, or behavioral measures to avoid such as smoking, obesity or a sedentary lifestyle mainly before the age of 50”. Alcohol is also a risk factor, according to Public Health France which estimates, in an April 2024 study, that more than 650,000 patients have high blood pressure linked to alcohol consumption exceeding two drinks per day or not respecting the two days of abstinence per week.