Do you need to get your blood pressure under control? Thanks to a collaboration with the American Heart Association, patrons can now use their library card at all 17 Birmingham Public Library (BPL) locations to check out blood pressure kits to monitor their health at home.
The kits were made available through the American Heart Association’s “Libraries With Heart” initiative. Previously, the blood pressure kits were available at only five BPL locations since the program began in August 2023: Central, Five Points West, Springville Road, North Birmingham and Avondale. Expanding the program citywide is part of BPL’s ongoing mission of transforming lives across Birmingham and helping residents stay healthy.
The blood pressure kits available for checkout from BPL include:
- A blood pressure cuff and monitor
- • Easy-to-read instructions on how to use the cuff
- • Educational materials about high blood pressure and local health resources
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, high blood pressure is often called “the silent killer” because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms until serious health problems develop. In 2024, the Alabama Department of Health reported that 42 percent of Alabamians had high blood pressure, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the state…