Untreated, high blood pressure affects millions of Brits.
NHS: The silent killer can increase your risk for heart attacks or strokes. It’s important to have it checked.
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One in four UK adults have the condition, but five million are completely unaware of it.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is rarely accompanied by symptoms, so it’s often overlooked.
You can only find out by getting a blood test.
It is recommended that all adults older than 40 years old get a check-up at least once every five.
It can be performed at your GP’s surgery, certain pharmacies and workplaces.
If you do not, it could prove fatal.
Over half of heart attacks and strokes are due to high blood pressure.
This is a risk factor in heart disease, renal disease, and vascular degeneration.
Simon Gillespie said, “Keeping your blood pressure in check is the single most important thing you can do to lower your chances of having a stroke or heart attack.”
“Millions of adults of all ages are living with untreated high blood pressure – a ticking time bomb that puts their future health in jeopardy.
It takes only five minutes to check your blood pressure, yet it’s easy to forget about it in the midst of our busy lives.
“That’s why we’re urging everyone to take a moment this month and get their pressure checked – it could ultimately save your life.”
Professor Jamie Waterall, national lead for cardiovascular disease prevention at Public Health England, added: “High blood pressure is the country’s leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, which is why we must make it easier for people to get their blood pressure checked.
“If you’re over 40, getting your free NHS Health Check is a simple way to find out your blood pressure as well as your risk of other serious conditions.
It is possible to save many lives by detecting high blood-pressure earlier, and managing it according to NICE recommendations.
What causes high blood pressure (hypertension)?
Every blood pressure reading consists of two numbers, shown as one number on top of the other, according to Blood Pressure UK.
The first (top) number is your systolic blood pressure – the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.
The second (or bottom) number is your diastolic blood pressure – the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels between heartbeats when blood is pumped around your heart.
The ideal reading for blood pressure is 90/60mmHg.
If your blood pressure readings consistently exceed 140/90mmHg, you have high-blood pressure.
High blood pressure can be diagnosed if you are over 80 years old.
The NHS warns that a high blood pressure puts additional strain on the blood vessels and heart, as well as other organs such the kidneys, brain and eye.
A persistent high blood pressure increases your risk for serious health problems, including:
- Heart Disease
- Heart attacks
- Strikes
- Heart failure
- Peripheral arterial diseases
- Aortic aneurysms
- Kidney disease
- Vascular dementia
Reduce your blood pressure even by a little bit to lower the risk for these diseases.
With lifestyle modifications and medications, doctors can help keep you at a safe level.
If you do:
- Are overweight
- Eat too much salt and do not eat enough fruit and vegetables
- Do not do enough exercise
- Drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
- Smoke
- Stressed out?
- You are over the age of 65
- Do you have a relative who has high blood pressure?
- You are of Black African or Black Caribbean descent
- Living in an area that is deficient