Okaloosa County residents can now check out blood pressure monitoring kits from their local libraries through a new partnership between the American Heart Association, HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative.

• The Libraries with Heart program launched this week at five library branches: Crestview Library, Fort Walton Beach Library, Mary Esther Library, Niceville Library and Valparaiso Public Library. The initiative allows library cardholders to borrow blood pressure monitoring kits just like books, addressing a critical health need in a community where many residents lack adequate access to primary care.

“One thing this area struggles with a lot is people don’t have good access to primary care,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Delafontaine, cardiothoracic surgeon at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital. “Every time I visit clinics, doctors tell me they have 300 patients and are totally booked. They can’t see anybody else. So patients end up using our hospitalist as their primary care, which means they just come to the ER when they have problems and don’t get routine primary care.”

The program addresses what healthcare providers call the “silent killer” – high blood pressure, which often shows no symptoms but significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, half of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and half of those don’t know they have it.

“People who have hypertension don’t necessarily feel bad, so they aren’t having any symptoms, that would give them some indication that there is something going on,” said Inger Berg, senior development director for the American Heart Association. “They are continuing on with their day-to-day routine, blissfully unaware that there is something going on with them.”

Berg explained that uncontrolled high blood pressure damages the body’s vascular system over time, increasing the risk of stroke and diabetes along with its complications.

• “I can’t remember the last time somebody didn’t have hypertension,” Delafontaine said, describing his patient population. “I did an operation, a five-vessel bypass on a 42-year-old gentleman yesterday. He had pretty bad underlying hypertension and diabetes that he didn’t know about because he hadn’t ever had a diagnosis before.”

Each kit includes a validated blood pressure monitor and cuff, along with American Heart Association educational materials available in both English and Spanish. The materials provide instructions on proper blood pressure measurement techniques, explain what the numbers mean, include a log for recording readings and list local health care providers.

“We are honored to help raise awareness of heart and stroke prevention through the American Heart Association’s Libraries with Heart program,” said Joseph Everette, chief nursing officer at HCA Florida Fort-Walton Destin Hospital. “Empowering our community members to take an active role in monitoring and managing their heart health is helping us make real strides in the fight against heart disease and stroke.”

The kits can be checked out for 30 days and returned like any library material. Each library will also maintain one kit on-site for immediate use in private study rooms.

• “Our libraries have long been a hub for lifelong learning and community wellness,” said Vicky Stever, director of the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative. “Partnering with the American Heart Association and HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital allows us to expand our health resources in a way that is both meaningful and accessible for our patrons.”

Library staff received training on accurate blood pressure measurement and emergency procedures. If a patron reports dangerously high readings, staff are prepared to recommend immediate medical attention or call emergency services.

“The library hits such a broad cross section of the population,” said Evan Duffy, director of health strategies for the American Heart Association. “There are no specific demographics that only use the library. It’s young, old, rich, poor — everybody has a library card.”

Duffy emphasized the importance of accurate home blood pressure measurements. “We know that when people take their blood pressures in the home, they get the most accurate measurement because they’re not having to deal with things like white coat syndrome or having to fight traffic for 45 minutes to get to CVS to check their blood pressure or something like that,” he said.

The American Heart Association chose to partner with libraries because of their accessibility, Duffy explained. “We found that people are more likely to use and be able to utilize resources when we make it convenient for them to access them,” he said. “We’re sensitive to that transportation challenge a lot of individuals face.”

• Karen Graham, Fort Walton Beach Library director, emphasized the program’s accessibility for vulnerable populations. “The clientele that we see here are struggling. They don’t have access to the internet. Some of them don’t even have a home to live in, much less a car to drive. So getting them access to those resources is key to getting them help before they stroke out in our walkway.”

The program represents the first Libraries with Heart initiative in the Florida panhandle, though similar programs operate in the Greater Orlando area and nearly 50 library systems nationwide. Plans are already underway to expand the program to other counties along the northern Gulf Coast, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Baldwin County, Alabama, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Future programming may include health fairs and educational events on topics such as heart disease, stroke prevention and healthy eating. HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital plans to support the initiative through ongoing community engagement and social media outreach.

The participating libraries and their locations are:

• Crestview Library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview
• Fort Walton Beach Library, 185 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach
• Mary Esther Library, 100 W Hollywood Boulevard, Mary Esther
• Niceville Library, 206 Partin Drive North, Niceville
• Valparaiso Public Library, 459 Valparaiso Parkway, Valparaiso

For more information about the Libraries with Heart program in Okaloosa County or to access a blood pressure kit, contact Evan.Duffy@Heart.org.