High blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms. But if untreated, it increases your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes. The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to have your blood pressure checked.

About high blood pressure 

About 1 in 8 of the Northern Ireland population have high blood pressure, although many won’t realise it. Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers. The systolic pressure (higher number) is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.

The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels. They're both measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

As a general guide:

• high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher
• ideal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg
• low blood pressure is considered to be 90/60mmHg or lower

Unless the reading is very high, more than one reading is usually taken by your GP or nurse to confirm that your blood pressure is high.

A blood pressure reading between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you're at risk of developing high blood pressure if you don't take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.

Risks of high blood pressure 

If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.

Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions, such as:

• heart disease
• heart attacks
• strokes
• heart failure
• peripheral arterial disease
• aortic aneurysms
• kidney disease
• vascular dementia

If you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these conditions.

Check your blood pressure 

The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.

All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. Getting this done is easy and could save your life. You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:

• at your GP surgery
• at some pharmacies
• in some workplaces

You can also check your blood pressure yourself with a home blood pressure monitor. It is important that any monitor used is working accurately. If you have any concerns you should always get a check-up with your practice nurse or GP.

Causes of high blood pressure 

It's not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but certain things can increase your risk.

You're at an increased risk of high blood pressure if you:

• are over the age of 65
• are overweight or obese
• are of African or Caribbean descent
• have a relative with high blood pressure
• eat too much salt and don't eat enough fruit and vegetables
• don't do enough exercise
• drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
• smoke
• don't get much sleep or have disturbed sleep

Making healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it's already high.

Reduce your blood pressure 

The following lifestyle changes may prevent and can help lower high blood pressure:

• reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet
• cut back on alcohol if you drink too much
• lose weight if you're overweight
• exercise regularly
• cut down on caffeine
• stop smoking
• try to get at least six hours of sleep a night

If you're diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend taking one or more medicines to keep it under control. The medication recommended for you will depend on things like how high your blood pressure is and your age.