Sam Collier, head of clinical quality at NHS Cornwall, had a stroke at the age of 42 and said ignoring reminders to get her blood pressure checked was a contributing factor.
The 53-year-old, who is also a former nurse, said: “Obviously if I’d been along to my doctors and had my check done really, really easily, I could have been started on medication and the stroke could have been prevented.”
Gareth Walsh, a public health practitioner at Cornwall Council, said there were lots of ways of getting a blood pressure check-up.
He said along with a GP checking it, people could also go along to a pharmacy to get a reading or use a scheme at Cornish libraries to borrow a blood pressure monitor.
“It’s important to get to know your numbers and to take readings regularly,” Mr Walsh said.
“That’s the takeaway message from this so you’re used to your numbers.”