သွေးတိုးရောဂါ (Hypertension | High Blood Pressure)

Symptoms

High blood pressure does not usually cause any symptoms.

Many people have it without realising it.

Rarely, high blood pressure can cause symptoms such as:

• headaches
• blurred vision
• chest pain

But the only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure checked.

Risk Factors

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 a Black African, Black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic 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

Diagnosis

A blood pressure test involves inflating a band (cuff) around your upper arm and measuring the pressure in your blood vessels.

If the test shows you might have high blood pressure, you may be asked to:

• use a blood pressure monitor at home to check your blood pressure regularly over the next few days
• come back to your GP surgery a few days or weeks later to have your blood pressure checked again
• wear a portable monitor that takes regular readings over 24 hours

This can confirm if you have high blood pressure.

There is a separate page about  with more information about blood pressure testing.

What your blood pressure reading means

Blood pressure readings are given as 2 numbers, with the 1st number higher than the 2nd (for example, 130/80).

If you're under 80 years of age, you're usually considered to have high blood pressure if your reading is either:

• 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional
• 135/85 or higher when checked at home

If you're aged 80 or over, you're usually considered to have high blood pressure if your reading is either:

• 150/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional

• 145/85 or higher when checked at home
  

Treatment Options

A GP will usually prescribe medicine for high blood pressure if:

• your blood pressure is very high
• you're at higher risk of problems linked to high blood pressure, such as a heart attack or stroke
• your blood pressure is still high after making healthy lifestyle changes

There are lots of different medicines for high blood pressure. The medicine recommended for you depends on things like how high your blood pressure is, your age and your ethnicity.

Most blood pressure medicines are taken as tablets once a day. You may need to take more than 1 medicine to keep your blood pressure under control.

Prevention Tips

Healthy lifestyle changes can help lower your blood pressure.

Do:

• have a healthy, balanced diet
• exercise regularly – aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week
• lose weight if you're overweight

Do not:

• do not eat too much salt – avoid salty food or adding salt to your meals
• do not drink too much alcohol – avoid drinking more than 14 alcohol units a week on a regular basis
• do not drink too much caffeine – drinks high in caffeine include coffee, tea and cola
• do not smoke

When To See A Doctor

Get your blood pressure checked at a pharmacy or GP surgery if:

• you think you might have high blood pressure or might be at risk of having high blood pressure
• you're aged 40 or over and have not had your blood pressure checked for more than 5 years

Some pharmacies may offer a blood pressure check.