Most people have no symptoms at all
The NHS is urging people to check if they are at risk of a condition known as a “silent killer”. Having high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can dramatically increase a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke.
Hypertension is very common in the UK, especially in older adults. According to Blood Pressure UK, in England, 31% of men and 26% of women have high blood pressure. And half of people with high blood pressure are not diagnosed or receiving treatment.
NHS guidance urges: “Check if you’re at risk of high blood pressure”, and adds: “There are usually no symptoms, so you may not realise you have it.”
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Risk factors include age, as you’re more likely to develop high blood pressure as you get older, and having close relatives with high blood pressure. Ethnicity plays a part, too, as those with a Black African, Black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background are at higher risk.
Being overweight, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, having an unhealthy diet – especially one that’s high in salt – and feeling stressed over a long period can also put you at higher risk. You should get your blood pressure checked at a pharmacy or GP surgery if you think you might have high blood pressure or might be at risk of having high blood pressure.
You should also get it checked if you’re aged 40 or over and have not had it checked for more than five years. Some workplaces also offer blood pressure checks, so it may be useful to check with your employer.
While high blood pressure does not usually cause symptoms, those who do experience them may notice headaches, chest pain, and blurred vision. However NHS guidance is clear – the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get it checked.
Earlier this month, Dr Pauline Swift, Chair of Blood Pressure UK, said: “These findings are deeply concerning. High blood pressure is a silent killer – it often has no symptoms, yet it’s responsible for more deaths than any other preventable condition in the UK.
“The fact that nearly half of UK adults don’t know their blood pressure reading is a wake-up call. We’re urging everyone, especially those over 40, to take a simple, quick blood pressure check – at home, in a pharmacy, or with their GP. It could be the most important step they take for their long-term health.”