On Friday, May 16th, Carilion Clinic will attempt to break the world record for the most blood pressures taken in a 24-hour period. The current record is 2,109. The attempt will take place at Valley View Mall, beginning at 3:00 p.m.In preparation for next week's World Record attempt, Carilion Clinic will hold blood pressure "Races" Friday, May 9th at 11:30 a.m. at the mall.
The goal of the "race" is to measure how many blood pressures a single individual can accurately measure during a specific period of time. This information is important because it will help determine how many "pressure takers" will be needed to break the existing record.
The media is invited to join us for the Friday's preparatory activities (and participate in one of the races if you choose), and hopefully help us drum up participation in the event itself. Paul Frantz, MD, Carilion Clinic's Director of Cardiac Services, will be present on Friday to talk about the importance of blood pressure screening in preventing heart attack and stroke.Given the recent publicity about decreasing lifespans in parts of Southwest Virginia, it is important that we increase awareness of this key health concern.
In addition, we hope to collect some interesting data during the 24-hour event, including:
- What is the average blood pressure of people who visit the mall?
- Is it higher or lower than expected?
- How do men & women compare?
If you have questions, feel free to email me. Hope to see you this Friday for the race and next Friday for the record attempt itself!
