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Blood Pressure

What is high blood pressure?

Your heart is like a pump, pushing blood around your body, and just like any pump, it works by creating pressure in the arteries (blood vessels) through which the blood passes. If this pressure gets too much it can put a strain on your arteries and your heart, leading to complications. Your blood pressure depends on two things, how powerfully your heart pumps blood around your body and how relaxed or narrowed your arteries are.

High blood pressure or hypertension as it's often called, occurs when blood is forced through the arteries at an increased pressure either due to them becoming more rigid or more narrow or both.

When you have your blood pressure checked you'll notice that it's measured using two numbers. The first number (higher figure) is your systolic blood pressure or the maximum pressure in the arteries when your heart beats and works to push blood out into your body. The second number is your diastolic blood pressure (lower figure) or the minimum pressure in the arteries when your heart rests between beats and fills with blood.

Your blood pressure changes naturally throughout the day depending on your level of physical activity so it's important to have your blood pressure checked when you're at rest. Your GP or Practice Nurse will check your blood pressure at least three times, on separate occasions, before diagnosing high blood pressure.

Blood Pressure

What is high blood pressure?

According to the Blood Pressure Association, over 16 million people in the UK suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension) but there could be many more who don't know realise they have hypertension. The majority of sufferers don't have any symptoms at all. That's why it's so important to get your blood pressure checked regularly - especially if you have a family history or one or more of the risk factors below applies to you.

What can you do about it?

If you have high blood pressure your GP will let you know the best way to treat it. That means making changes to your lifestyle, like giving up smoking, cutting down on salt or reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Alternatively, your GP may prescribe medication to manage your blood pressure. If you have any concerns please talk to you GP, Practice Nurse or pharmacist.

High blood pressure, if left untreated, can increase the risk of a stroke, a heart attack or kidney problems, so it's very important to have your blood pressure checked regularly whatever your age. Unfortunately, high blood pressure is not usually accompanied by any symptoms so the only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to visit your GP or Practice Nurse. There are several factors that may put you at increased risk from high blood pressure:

Blood Pressure

Lifestyle factors can contribute to high blood pressure - these are the things you CAN change:

  1. Being overweight
  2. Smoking
  3. A high alcohol intake
  4. Too much salt in your diet
  5. Lack of exercise
  6. Stress

Other factors can contribute to high blood pressure including:

  1. High blood pressure in your family
  2. Certain medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease
  3. Some medicines
  4. Being of black African or Caribbean or South Asian origin
  5. Your age - as you get older your arteries naturally become less elastic

Blood Pressure

The British Heart Foundation recommends anyone over the age of 40 should have their blood pressure checked regularly.

If you've any concerns please talk to your GP or Practice Nurse and remember, the only way to keep an eye on your blood pressure is to have it checked regularly - high blood pressure is rarely accompanied by any symptoms.

Leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, as well as giving other health benefits. Why not take a look at the Eat Smart and Get Active sections to find out more?

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