Many unaware high blood pressure can kill

FOUR in 10 people do not realise that high blood pressure raises the risk of heart disease, the NHS has warned, as it urged people to ask their local pharmacy to measure it.

Up to 4.2 million people in England are thought to be unaware they have raised blood pressure – around a third of those who have the condition, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.

A poll of 2,000 people carried out by the NHS showed that 41 per cent of peo- ple were unaware that, if left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, while 22 per cent did not know it could cause strokes and heart attacks.

Today the NHS launches its Get Your Blood Pressure Checked campaign to warn people the condition often has no symptoms. It has made 2.5 million blood pressure checks and healthy living advice available in UK pharmacies.

Prof Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said: “High blood pressure usually has no symptoms but can lead to serious health consequences.

“The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a simple, non-invasive blood pressure test.

“Even if you are diagnosed, the good news is that it’s usually easily treatable.

“Getting your blood pressure checked at a local pharmacy is free, quick and you don’t even need an appointment, so please go for a check today – it could save your life.”

Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmhg) and is given as two figures.

The first number is the systolic pressure, or the pressure when the heart pushes blood out and the second number is the diastolic pressure, or the pressure when the heart rests between beats. Ideal blood pressure is considered too be between 90 over 60 and 120 over 80.