a Greater Manchester initiative
We all have some risk of developing a vascular disease such as heart disease or stroke. On board the bus your risk of having a stroke and developing heart disease will be assessed.
A range of routine simple and pain-free health tests are available on the bus*. The results will give you and your health professional a clearer picture of your health and your risk of developing heart disease or stroke. You’ll then be given advice on what action you can take to lower your risk and improve your chances of a healthier life.
Cholesterol test
Cholesterol is a vital fat for the proper functioning of your body. There are two main kinds of cholesterol and too much of one kind in the blood can cause narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to vascular disease. Your health professional will take a sample of blood from your thumb and test it for cholesterol.
Blood pressure test
High blood pressure can weaken the walls of your arteries, increasing the risk of blockage or breaking, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI is a measure of whether you are a healthy weight for your height. People who are overweight are more likely to develop vascular disease.
On board the bus you can discuss your smoking status with a trained Stop Smoking Specialist Advisor. The Stop Smoking Advisor can carry out the following test:
Carbon monoxide (CO) test
A certain amount of CO exists normally in the air around us. The greatest increase in a person’s CO levels is caused by breathing in tobacco smoke. By simply blowing into the CO monitor we can measure this.
Lung Life test
The lung age of a smoker is usually considerably older than their actual age. A patients ‘lung age’ can be calculated by simply blowing into a LungLife monitor.
*Subject to suitability and availability. Patients must be aged 40 – 74 to receive a full health check.