High blood pressure does not usually cause symptoms, but there may be ways to spot signs on the condition.
Dr Rodney Foale, a consultant cardiologist at The Harley Street Clinic, explained: “The most common way patients find out their blood pressure is high is by coincidence during a general health review.”
Adults over the age of 40 in the UK are entitled to free NHS Health Check-ups that measure your blood pressure reading.
The test is booked every five years and, sometimes annually, depending on your health.
However, there are some symptoms that can present themselves in patients with high blood pressure.
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Dr Foale warned of blurred vision, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, and nosebleeds.
“It’s important to keep in mind that blood pressure symptoms are very wide and broad,” said Dr Foale.
“And it’s often difficult to identify what comes first – the blood pressure, or symptoms of stress before or after a hypertensive condition.”
Examples of hypertensive conditions include coronary heart disease and heart attacks.
Dr Foale warned a person’s “lifestyle has an enormous impact on blood pressure” readings.
He added: “There is vast research which suggests that being overweight, stressed, inactive, or having a high salt or fat intake, will increase the risk of high blood pressure.
“The good news is, for these causes the risk can be significantly reduced by simply following a healthy, active lifestyle.”
Dr Foale elaborated on what a healthy lifestyle requires in this day and age.
Leading a healthy lifestyle includes: “Reducing your salt intake, losing weight, exercising more frequently, stopping smoking, and reducing your alcohol intake.”
The heart expert stated: “Environmental factors can also play a part in the risk of developing high blood pressure.”
He pointed out that increased levels of stress, which can contribute to high blood pressure, might be heightened due to the cost of living crisis.
Dr Rodney Foale is the Consultant Cardiologist at The Harley Street Clinic (part of HCA Healthcare UK).
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