Around one in four adults in the UK have high blood pressure - but many people will be completely unaware that they have the serious condition.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, and it can be life-threatening. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) warns that the narrowing and damage to your arteries caused by high blood pressure could trigger a heart attack or stroke.
It's therefore important to make sure you get your blood pressure checked, particularly if you are at increased risk, and take steps to reduce your chances of developing it by making healthy lifestyle changes. Here's everything you need to know about high blood pressure, including the main symptoms, causes and risks of the condition.
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What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers - the higher number is the systolic pressure, which is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body, and the lower number is the diastolic pressure, which is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels between heartbeats. Both of these are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
According to the BHF, the following symptoms could be a sign that you have high blood pressure:
- Blurred vision
- Nosebleeds
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Headaches
However, high blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms and most people who have it feel fine, so it's important to get your blood pressure checked regularly. If you're a healthy adult over 40, it's recommended that you get it checked at least once every five years - but if you're at increased risk of high blood pressure you should have it checked more often, ideally once a year, the BHF advises.
You can get your blood pressure checked at your GP surgery, some pharmacies, or at home yourself with a home blood pressure monitor. As a general guide, ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for over-80s is below 150/90mmHg (or 145/85mmHg at home).
High blood pressure is considered to be from 140/90mmHg (or an average of 135/85mmHg at home) – or 150/90mmHg (or an average of 145/85mmHg at home) if you're over the age of 80. Blood pressure readings from 121/81mmHg to 139/89mmHg could mean you're at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.
What causes high blood pressure?
It's not always clear what causes high blood pressure, according to the NHS, but there are some factors that can increase your risk. This can include:
- Being overweight
- Eating too much salt and not enough fruit and vegetables
- Not doing enough exercise
- Drinking too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
- Smoking
- Experiencing a lot of stress
- Being over the age 65
- Having a relative with high blood pressure
- Being of black African or black Caribbean descent
- Living in a deprived area
High blood pressure can also sometimes be caused by an underlying health condition, like a kidney infection, an underactive or overactive thyroid or diabetes. Taking certain medicines, such as the contraceptive pill, steroids, ibuprofen, aspirin or some pharmacy cough and cold remedies, may also increase your blood pressure.
What are the risks of having high blood pressure?
If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes. The NHS warns that persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:
- Heart disease
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
- Heart failure
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Aortic aneurysms
- Kidney disease
- Vascular dementia
What can you do to reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure?
The NHS advises that high blood pressure can often be prevented or reduced by:
- Having a healthy diet - cut down on the amount of salt in your food and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
- Limiting your alcohol intake - men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week
- Maintaining a healthy weight - being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body, which can raise your blood pressure
- Getting active - being active and taking regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition.
- Cutting down on caffeine - drinking more than four cups of coffee a day may increase your blood pressure
- Quitting smoking - smoking will cause your arteries to narrow, which can increase your blood pressure
You can get more advice on how to keep your blood pressure in check on the NHS website and the British Heart Foundation website.
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