Walgreens and Take Care Clinics Offer Free Blood Pressure Testing to Support American Heart Month

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) today said it is supporting American Heart Month by providing free blood pressure testing during February at all Walgreens pharmacies and Take Care Clinics nationwide. The initiative supports Walgreens Way to Well Commitment^®, which began in 2011 as a four-year, $100 million initiative to improve the everyday health of Americans nationwide through the prevention and early detection of today’s leading diseases.

“Our health testing programs, like blood pressure tests, are moving us beyond filling prescriptions. They are one of the many services we offer to help people get, stay and live well, while helping to reduce the overall cost of health care.”

“High blood pressure can be managed or controlled through early detection,” said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness. “Our health testing programs, like blood pressure tests, are moving us beyond filling prescriptions. They are one of the many services we offer to help people get, stay and live well, while helping to reduce the overall cost of health care.”

Additionally, to encourage people to “know their numbers,” Walgreens will provide free educational resources and product discounts, as well as donate $1 to the American Heart Association, up to $100,000, for each blood pressure test conducted during February. Also, Walgreens will donate $1 for each social media donation unlocked during February to the American Heart Association, up to $50,000. Customers can share their support by simply connecting a Balance^® Rewards membership to their Facebook account to unlock the donation. To learn more visit www.Walgreens.com/donate or select the Way to Well icon within the Walgreens mobile app.

“There is never a bad time to make changes in your lifestyle to improve your heart health. Nearly two-thirds of the American adult population is overweight and many are battling high blood pressure, a significant risk factor for heart disease, often referred to as the Silent Killer,” said Dr. Tracey Stevens, American Heart Association spokesperson and cardiologist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Mo. “The American Heart Association encourages people to know their numbers and get blood pressure tests regularly. We applaud Walgreens for making blood pressure tests so accessible during Heart Month.”

High blood pressure is a contributor to heart disease, one of the nation’s leading causes of death annually. Last year, Walgreens program resulted in more than 150,000 free blood pressure tests administered with more than 50 percent of those people testing out of the desired range. Detailed information can be found on the Walgreens Way to Well website at www.Walgreens.com/WayToWell.

About Walgreens

As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2012 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become America’s first choice for health and daily living. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 8,061 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.