The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has urged pharmacists to talk more to patients after a survey found more than one in three UK adults did not realise they could go to their pharmacist for help with high blood pressure or cholesterol.

The YouGov survey, conducted across 2,125 adults last month, found that about a quarter of respondents did not realise high cholesterol and high blood pressure increased the risk of heart disease – despite 624 people in the sample suffering from one of the conditions. And a separate BHF survey found that one in five people did not tell their doctor if they were not taking their medication as prescribed.

The findings led the BHF to call on pharmacists to make the most of their "unique position" in the community and talk to patients more about their medication needs.

The BHF's 'Just like that' campaign aims to increase medicines awareness and is encouraging patients to speak to their pharmacists

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"Millions of people could be putting their lives in danger by not taking their medication as prescribed, so we want to remind them how vital medicines can be," said BHF associate medical director Dr Mike Knapton. "Pharmacists are right in the heart of the community and are in a unique position to speak to patients who other healthcare professionals rarely see," he said. "I hope all pharmacists will help us spread the word by asking patients how they're getting on with their medication and letting them know that there are always options available."

Dr Knapton's call to action came as the BHF launched a new campaign featuring comedian Tommy Cooper to encourage people to take their medication for heart problems or risk factor conditions like high blood pressure.

Named after Mr Cooper's famous catchphrase, the ‘Just Like That' campaign is being supported by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), which highlighted how MURs and the new medicine service (NMS) were helping.

"Both services are designed to support the safe and effective use of medicines by patients," said RPS head of corporate communications Neal Patel.

"However the BHF's survey results show that many patients are unaware of the role that pharmacists can have in helping them take their medicine as prescribed and explaining the health risks they may be taking by not doing so," he added.

Mr Patel called on pharmacists to get behind the campaign and said he hoped it would prompt patients to recognise the importance of treating high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and preventing more serious health conditions.