More than half of British adults may have high blood pressure

THE number of people with high blood pressure in the UK could be twice as high as previously thought.

Tests carried out on more than 19,000 adults last year found more than half were suffering from the condition.

High blood pressure raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and dementia. It is the third biggest risk factor for disease in Britain after smoking and poor diet.

Recent NHS figures estimated more than one in four adults in the UK had the condition – also known as hypertension – but many did not realise it.

Data from LloydsPharmacy suggests the problem could be much more widespread. The chemist gave free checks to 19,181 shoppers who walked into branches last year.

Nearly nine in ten had a higher-than-healthy reading, with 54 per cent officially classed as having high blood pressure. Only 13 per cent had a healthy level, while 1 per cent suffered from low blood pressure, according to the pharmacy’s State of the Nation Health report, due to be published later this week. More than half of those with high blood pressure had no history of the condition – meaning they could have been unaware anything was wrong before taking the test.

While smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise are most likely to cause the condition, many of those tested had healthy lifestyles so did not suspect they had a problem.

Nine in ten with high blood pressure were non- smokers, nearly half exercised for 150 minutes or more per week, a third drank fewer than 14 units of alcohol per week and a quarter were a healthy weight. Only a third had a family history of heart disease.

The pharmacy’s spokesman said: ‘It’s important to have regular check-ups, whether you think you are at risk or not.’ Experts said the results may not be fully representative of the population. The British Heart Foundation’s Dr Mike Knapton said an estimated 30 per cent in the UK have high blood pressure.