One in four adults in the UK have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. It has no symptoms, but can lead to serious health problems if it’s ignored. That’s why the NHS in North West London is working to improve detection.
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is one of the most important factors in reducing your risk of heart and circulatory diseases like heart attack or stroke, or kidney failure or diabetes complications.
We want to identify more people with high blood pressure and help them get it under control as soon as possible, whether that’s with simple lifestyle changes or prescription medication. As Dr Neville Purssell, North West London ICS Executive Co-Chair for Cardiovascular Disease explains:
“There are potentially 83,000 people in North West London who do not know they have hypertension. The sooner we can find them, the sooner we can protect them from a potentially life-threatening cardiovascular event.”
Everyone over 40 should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years, or annually if you have certain health conditions such as diabetes. If it has been more than five years, contact your GP or check if your community pharmacy offers this service.
Finding out only takes a few minutes
Blood pressure tests are quick and painless. You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:
- your local GP surgery
- some pharmacies
- some workplaces
- certain health events in your borough
Your blood pressure reading will be made up of two numbers: Systolic pressure, which is the pressure when your heart pushes blood out, and diastolic pressure, which is the pressure when your heart rests between beats. An ideal blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
Blood pressure can change throughout the day, for example if you’re feeling stressed, so one high reading could be nothing to worry about. You may be asked to take some readings over a period of 24 hours to see if it stays high.
If your blood pressure is consistently high your GP can advise you on some lifestyle changes, including your diet or daily activity, to keep it under control. They may also discuss whether they think you would benefit from medication.
For information on treatment and prevention of high blood pressure, visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/