ARE YOU IGNORING THIS SILENT KILLER?

Keeping your blood pressure under control is key to staying healthy

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RISK FACTOR

High blood pressure is the third biggest risk of premature death after smoking and poor diet

CHECK YOUR NUMBERS

More than 700 million people worldwide live with untreated high blood pressure

Around one in four adults in the UK* are thought to have hypertension - aka high blood pressure. This potentially dangerous condition increases our risk of heart, brain and kidney disease, yet we often dismiss it. This is possibly because high blood pressure is usually symptom-free until it starts to cause damage, which is why it's been dubbed 'the silent killer.

Without treatment, it can cause numerous health problems, including strokes, organ damage and dementia often without us knowing until it's too late. No wonder hypertension costs the NHS an estimated £2.1 billion per year.

"Given the importance of blood pressure as an indicator of overall health, it's shocking how few people prioritise taking their readings,' says GP Dr Achim Max Brenske. Yet a quick test will reveal your score. The ideal range is 90/6ommHg to 120/80mmHg - if it's 140/90mmHg or above, it's considered high.

“The only way that blood pressure readings will come into the mainstream would be to make people aware of the importance of heart health from an early age, such as introducing readings at school, says Dr Brenske. "Then the 120/80 reading could become common knowledge, in the same way five fruit and vegetables a day has become a mantra everyone understands.'