'I had a routine health check at work - I was told to go to A&E immediately'

A woman was told to 'go to A&E immediately' after having a routine health check at work.

Justine Daly, who was fit and healthy, was shocked when she found out she had dangerously high blood pressure during a routine workplace health screening. She said she had no symptoms despite being told her reading was 'dangerously high'.

She now wants to encourage others to get checked. Justine said: "My employer had organised for Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS) to come to our workplace in Belfast to carry out health checks in March.

READ NEXT: Manchester has among highest suspected cases of disease that's 'one of the world's most infectious'

"I saw this as an opportunity to get things checked either for piece of mind or a nudge to change something. I had a similar check back in 2019 and although my blood pressure was elevated, it was nowhere near a critical level.

"I certainly didn't expect to find out my blood pressure was off the Richter scale and that I should go to A&E immediately. My results from the other tests were all great.

"I had a metabolic age of 40 and at 54 I was delighted to hear that. When it was time for the blood pressure check Valerie (from NICHS's Health Promotion team) did it on my left arm and said, 'right, take yourself off to the beach. You are standing on the beach. Imagine how calm you would be feeling', and then she measured it again.

"Once more, she asked me to take a few moments to try and relax. She then did the measurement on my right arm, and that is when she told me I needed to go to A&E because my blood pressure was dangerously high."

Justine added: "It took a moment for the news that it was that high to sink in. I hadn't experienced anything, no symptoms or warning signs,