Brake helps "Kick Cholesterol" at Wallington Boots

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 4th Sep 2004

Local MP Tom Brake will have his cholesterol tested at Wallington Boots on Monday, 6 September as part of Boots' nationwide Kick Cholesterol campaign. The "kick cholesterol" campaign, headlined by Jonny Wilkinson, is offering free cholesterol testing in Boots stores from 4th August.

Mr Brake said, "We can beat heart disease with early detection. The cholesterol test is free, quick and virtually painless, as it just involves a small pinprick on your finger. Constituents worried about their cholesterol levels should remember the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Free cholesterol testing will be available to those most at risk from heart disease including over 50's, smokers, anyone with a family history of heart disease or those who are particularly concerned about their cholesterol. These free tests will be available in most Boots stores. Boots have provided their pharmacists with specialist training on cholesterol and the options available to manage it, including lifestyle advice, smoking cessation and statins.

The Government have announced that they will be switching statins from prescription-only medicines to over-the-counter medicines in a bid to reduce the level of heart disease amongst the UK population. Statins are a group of drugs which are known to reduce cholesterol levels. They work by reducing the amount of cholesterol and fatty substances called triglycerides in your blood.