Blood pressure and heart checks
High blood pressure, or hypertension, often has no symptoms that you can feel, but if it's not treated it can increase your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often unusually fast heart rate.
Check your heart age online
Your heart can seem to get older more quickly if you have an unhealthy lifestyle. By answering a few questions online you can check how your heart age compares to your real age.
50 lives a day could be saved with a few lifestyle changes – use the heart age test to find out how you can look after your heart.
Free blood pressure and heart checks in Thurrock
You can get a free blood pressure and heart check if you're over 18 years-old and registered with a GP in Thurrock.
Check your own blood pressure in the waiting areas of the following GP surgeries:
- Chadwell Medical Centre, 1 Brentwood Road, Chadwell St Mary, RM16 4JD
- The Dilip Sabnis Medical Centre, Linford Road, Chadwell St Mary, RM16 4JW
- The Health Centre, Giffords Cross Road, Corringham, SS17 7QQ
- Appledore Medical Centre, 8 Coronation Avenue, East Tilbury, RM18 8SJ
- East Tilbury Medical Centre, 85 Coronation Avenue, East Tilbury, RM18 8SW
- Oddfellows Hall Health Centre, Oddfellows Hall, Grays, RM17 5JY
- The Surgery, 12 Milton Road, Grays, RM17 5EZ
- Thurrock Health Centre, 55-57 High Street, Grays, RM17 6NB
- Commonwealth Health Centre, Quebec Road, Tilbury, RM18 7RB
- Tilbury Health Centre, London Road, Tilbury, RM18 8EB
- St Clements Health Centre, London Road, West Thurrock, RM20 4AR
You can also check your blood pressure at any of the following community venues, with the support of a volunteer:
- Acorns Community Hub, Headon Hall, Crawford Avenue, Stifford Clays, RM16 2AS
- Chadwell St Mary Centre, Chadwell Library, Brentwood Road, Chadwell St Mary, RM16 4JP
- Inclusion Thurrock, Thurrock Health Centre, 55-57 High Street, Grays, RM17 6NB
- Purfleet Community Hub, 53 River Court, Centurion Way, Purfleet, RM19 1ZY
- South Ockendon Centre, Derry Avenue, South Ockendon, RM15 5DX
- Tilbury Community Hub, 16 Civic Square, Tilbury, RM18 8AD
There's no need to book in advance – just pop in.
Checks are recommended every 1 to 5 years, even if you feel very healthy.
Those at risk
You are at higher risk of hypertension if you are either:
- a smoker
- overweight
- inactive
- older
- stressed
- of African or Caribbean origin
- from a family with a history of high blood pressure
You are at higher risk of atrial fibrillation if you have either:
- thyroid problems
- sleep apnoea
- metabolic syndrome
- diabetes
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic lung disease