Navigating Hypertension: Understanding, Managing, and Living a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
Often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ - high blood pressure affects around 1 in 3 adults in the UK.
High blood pressure does not usually cause any symptoms but can be associated with headaches, nosebleeds, shortness of breath and chest pain. It is recommended that you have your blood pressure checked at least every 5 years if you’re a healthy adult aged over 40, those at higher risk should be checked annually.
You can get your blood pressure checked at your GP surgery and most pharmacies; you can also check your blood pressure yourself at home by purchasing your own blood pressure monitor.
Hypertension is defined as blood pressure greater than 140/90mmHg (or 150/90mmHg if over the age of 80). Lifestyle advice and medication are offered to lower blood pressure and targets are individualised based on personal risk factors such as the presence of diabetes and the risk of falls.
Risk factors for high blood pressure include:
- Being overweight
- Eating too much salt
- Not getting enough fruit and vegetables
- Drinking too much alcohol / caffeine
- Stress
- Age
- Ethnicity (black African / black Caribbean are at greater risk)
- Chronic health conditions such as: diabetes and kidney disease
- Family history
- Pregnancy
Some medications can increase blood pressure such as:
- NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin
- Cough and Cold Remedies
- Herbal remedies
- Contraceptive pill
- Steroids
- And many more – your pharmacist can help give you advice on which medications to avoid if you have high blood pressure.
Complications of high blood pressure include:
- Kidney failure
- Heart failure
- Vision problems
- Vascular dementia
- Heart attack or stroke
Top Tips to Stay Healthy
- Regular exercise is highly recommended to keep blood pressure under control – the NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity per week (or 75 minutes of intense activity).
- Diet control - managing your intake of salt (which raises blood pressure) is key. You should aim to eat less than 6g of salt daily. Maintaining a healthy diet and eating plenty of fruit and veg helps to control weight and keeps your blood vessels free of fatty deposits.
- Losing weight: Being overweight puts strain on the heart, forcing it to work harder and raising blood pressure, reducing your weight to a healthy level can combat this.
- Excess alcohol can contribute to high blood pressure – aim to drink no more than 14 units per week, this should be spread evenly throughout the week.
- Stop smoking – smoking raises blood pressure as the chemicals in cigarettes can narrow your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Manage your stress – meditation or yoga can help reduce stress.
- Adherence to medication can help control blood pressure and is often lifelong.
Societies/Healthy Living Links
Blood Pressure UK has some excellent advice on healthy eating and exercising safely with high blood pressure and what types of exercise may be more suitable - https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/
The British Heart Foundation are the leading charity in the UK for all things relating to heart health and they have plenty of great advice and support available https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure
The NHS Health Check is available for adults between the ages of 40 and 74 and your blood pressure will be checked during the appointment. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/
Your local pharmacy may offer a free blood pressure check as part of the hypertension case finding service.
Sources
· BHF. “High blood pressure.” British Heart Foundation, 2023. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure
· Blood Pressure UK. “Blood Pressure Facts and Figures.” Blood Pressure UK - Helping You to Lower Your Blood Pressure, 2021, www.bloodpressureuk.org/news/media-centre/blood-pressure-facts-and-figures/.
· NHS. “High blood pressure (hypertension).” NHS.UK, July 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/
