Blood Pressure UK: Know Your Numbers Week.

Last week, (7 to 13 September), was “Know Your Numbers” week which is the UK’s biggest blood pressure testing and awareness event.

Around one in three adults in the UK suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure and if left untreated, it can have a serious impact on your health. The purpose of the week is to encourage adults to have their blood pressure checked as catching it early means there are more options for conservative management through lifestyle changes.

An ideal blood pressure reading is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. You have high blood pressure if your readings are consistently above 140/90mmHg.

Complications of high blood pressure include:

• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Vascular dementia
• Stokes
• Heart attacks

In the UK, high blood pressure is the third biggest risk factor for all diseases after smoking and poor diet. Half of people with high blood pressure are not diagnosed or receiving treatment. Getting a quick blood pressure check at your local pharmacy or GP surgery can be a really simple and important way to look after your health.

Factors that increase your chances of having high blood pressure include:

• Age
• Family history
• Your ethnicity
• Your diet
• Being overweight
• Smoking
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Feeling stressed over a long period

If you are found to have high blood pressure, your pharmacist or GP can discuss options for management with you but there are also small changes you can make at home including:

• Eating a healthy, balanced diet
• Exercising regularly
• Losing weight if necessary
• Reducing your salt intake
• Monitoring your alcohol consumption
• Reducing your caffeine intake
• Stopping smoking

High blood pressure costs the NHS over £2.1 billion a year as unmanaged hypertension can lead to kidney issues, sexual dysfunction, stroke, heart issues including failure and heart attacks, and so it is important we all do our bit to monitor our health!

If you feel that you or a loved one has suffered a delay in diagnosis or management of hypertension, please reach out to our Clinical Negligence Department who will be able to assist.