High blood pressure (also called hypertension) can lead to serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. But lifestyle changes and blood pressure medicines can help you stay healthy.
High blood pressure is very common, especially in older adults. There are usually no symptoms, so you may not realise you have it.
Things that increase your chances of having high blood pressure include:
- Your age – you're more likely to get high blood pressure as you get older
- Having close relatives with high blood pressure
- Your ethnicity – you're at higher risk if you have an African, Caribbean or South Asian background
- Having an unhealthy diet – especially a diet that's high in salt
- Being overweight
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Feeling stressed over a long period
Blood pressure readings are given as 2 numbers, with the first number higher than the second (for example, 130/80).
You're usually considered to have high blood pressure if your reading is:
- 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional
- 135/85 or higher when checked at home
