Understanding Blood Pressure
Blood pressure measures how hard your heart is working to pump blood and how strongly it presses against your blood vessels. It’s recorded with two numbers:
Systolic (top number): Pressure when the heart beats.
Diastolic (bottom number): Pressure when the heart rests between beats.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms, but it can also cause headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision in some cases. If left untreated, it can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and damage to the eyes and kidneys.
The only way to know is to get it checked. With early detection, it can be managed through lifestyle changes and, if needed, medication.
Who is at risk of high blood pressure?
Many factors can increase your risk of high blood pressure and chances of having high blood pressure increase as you get older. There is often no clear cause, but your risk is increased if you:
Are overweight
Are of African or Carribbean descent
Eat too much salt
Do not eat many fruit and vegetables
Do not take enough exercise
Are a smoker
Drink too much alcohol or caffeinated drinks
Have a family member with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or diabetes