Hypertension can lead to heart attacks and strokes, and affects brain and kidney function. But it can be prevented and controlled…
High blood pressure affects one in four of us and is initially symptomless, leading it to be referred to as ‘the silent killer’. It’s estimated to cause 75,000 deaths a year in the UK.
Dr Pauline Swift of Blood Pressure UK says: ‘High blood pressure rarely has symptoms, yet it causes 60 per cent of strokes and 50 per cent of heart disease. As many as eight million people are undiagnosed and will only find out theirs is too high when they have a heart attack or stroke.’
Long-term, it can cause kidney failure and it is also linked to vascular dementia.
So, what happens to our body when blood pressure is too high?
Dr Swift explains: ‘When your heart beats, it pumps blood round your body to give the tissues energy and oxygen. As your blood moves along, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels. The strength of this pushing is your blood pressure. When blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries and your heart, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack.’
The incidence of hypertension rises with age, but Dr Swift says it can affect younger people too, adding: ‘First-time strokes are happening at an earlier age than a decade ago. High blood pressure kills thousands of people every year in the UK, but it is almost entirely preventable.’
Simply having your blood pressure measured could make all the difference.
Dr Swift says: ‘Everyone should get their blood pressure checked, either by their GP, at a pharmacy or by using a home blood pressure monitor. A normal reading is 120/80mmHg (millimetres of mercury). The standard advice for those with normal readings, is to have it checked every five years. Once you reach age 50, you should have it checked every year. Once issues are picked up, you can do something about it.’
If you’ve had a reading on the high side of normal (between 130/85 and 139/89), or if you have diabetes, get your blood pressure checked every year, whatever your age.
‘If your blood pressure is high (above 140/90) your GP or another healthcare professional will advise you what to do,’ says Dr Swift. ‘The majority of people’s blood pressure can be controlled on the combination of two tablets.’
Yet many patients remain reluctant to take medication. Dr Sayan Sen, a consultant from oneheartclinic.com, is pioneering an innovative, one-off treatment called renal denervation.
He says: ‘It’s a minimally invasive procedure done as day surgery, where a device is inserted through the groin to deliver radiofrequency energy to the nerves in the wall of the renal arteries. This results in a natural reduction in blood pressure equivalent to taking daily medication.
‘This new technology is growing in use; I think it’s going to be part of how we treat blood pressure moving forwards.’
This week is Know Your Numbers! Week [from 4 September] – it’s the UK’s biggest FREE blood pressure testing and awareness event. For information about lowering your blood pressure, visit Blood Pressure UK’s website (bloodpressureuk.org) or call its helpline on 020 7882 6218.