When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked?
About KNOW YOUR NUMBERS! WEEK
This year’s Know Your Numbers! Week, organised by Blood Pressure UK , will take place from the 2nd to the 8th September and the theme is 'You Have the Power'. Having a busy lifestyle and dealing with the everyday pressures means that checking blood pressure is not always a priority. That's why the campaign is encouraging all people to make the time to check their blood pressure to see if it’s under control. Remember that you have the power to successfully manage your blood pressure - but you have to know your numbers first. Get them checked now to beat ‘the silent killer’.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CHECK YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE?
You need some pressure to keep your blood moving. Your blood pressure varies throughout the day – it naturally goes up and down, and it’s fine for it to go up while you’re moving about. It’s when your overall blood pressure is always high, even when you are resting, that you need to do something about it. 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.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a serious health problem, as it can lead to stroke, heart attack and circulatory diseases. It can also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, and vascular dementia. High blood pressure is often described as a ‘silent killer’, as it usually has no symptoms and many people do not know they have it. Therefore, measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know whether you have a high blood pressure. Have a look at the story of Adam who discovered he had high blood pressure only after his stroke.
It's not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but most people develop it because of their diet, lifestyle or medical condition. You might be more at risk if you:
drink too much alcohol
smoke
are overweight
don’t do enough exercise
eat too much salt
are over 65
have a relative with high blood pressure
take some medicines
"An estimated 30 per cent of adults in the UK have high blood pressure – that’s around 16 million adults – at least half of them are not receiving effective treatment."
There are lots of simple things you can do to start lowering your blood pressure. Even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
Follow a healthy diet
To lower your blood pressure, you should aim for a well-balanced diet. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, choose a variety of healthy sources of protein, opt for wholegrain and drink plenty of water. You should limit salt, cut down on sugar and saturated fat, as well as avoid ready meals and takeaways. Have a look at Eat Better guide from British Heart Foundation for some simple tips and advice on how to eat healthy. You can also find some delicious heart-healthy recipes from Heart UK.
Limit alcohol
Be more active
Give up smoking
If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your GP might also suggest taking medications to lower it. A number of medications can be used to treat high blood pressure. You may need to take more than one type of medication to lower your blood pressure because a combination of treatments is sometimes needed to successfully treat the condition.
Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure, sometimes referred to as hypotension, is a condition where the arterial blood pressure is less than 90/60mmHg. There are lots of things that can cause your blood pressure to drop lower than normal. These include the following:
heart problems
diseases that affect your autonomic nervous system, which normally regulates your blood pressure, for example Parkinson’s disease
problems with your adrenal glands
serious injury and shock
certain medication
Some people have a blood pressure level that is naturally low and there is no specific cause or reason why. Blood pressure might drop when you’ve just eaten while your blood is carried to your gut, if you’ve been standing up for a long time, if you’re dehydrated, and if the temperature is warm.
Low blood pressure often has no symptoms, but can sometimes mean that not enough blood is flowing to your brain or organs. Really low blood pressure can cause symptoms such as:
a general feeling of weakness
feeling dizzy, faint or light-headed
feeling unsteady
feeling sick (nausea)
blurred vision
feeling confused
fainting
palpitations
If your blood pressure is naturally low and isn’t causing you any problems, it probably won’t need any treatment. If you have symptoms and your GP feels that you would benefit from treatment, they will try to find the cause of your low blood pressure so that they can find the best way to treat it. There are also some simple steps you can take to help prevent or reduce your symptoms:
stand up slowly from sitting or lying down, especially when you first wake up. If you’re lying down, sit for a while first before standing.
avoid caffeine at night and limit your alcohol intake
eat small frequent meals, rather than large ones
increase the amount of water you drink
do not bend down or change posture suddenly
HOW IS BLOOD PRESSURE MEASURED?
Your heart pumps blood around your body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your organs. Blood pressure is the term used to describe the strength with which your blood pushes on the sides of your arteries as it's pumped around your body.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is written as two numbers. The first number (systolic pressure) is the highest level of your blood pressure – when your heart beats it contracts to pump blood through your arteries. The second number (diastolic pressure) is the lowest level of your blood pressure – when your heart relaxes between beats.
As a general guide it is considered that:
ideal blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg
high blood pressure is 140/90mmHg or higher
low blood pressure is 90/60mmHg or lower
CHECKING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
A blood pressure check is simple, quick, and painless. You can ask your GP or a practice nurse for a test and if you are 40–74 years old, you could also get a free NHS Health Check, which includes additional checks to give you an idea of your overall health. If you don’t get an invitation letter from your local surgery, you can call them to arrange an appointment.
Also, many pharmacies offer free blood pressure checks and some gyms, health clubs or leisure centers might offer it too when you first join or start a new program, or as part of a fitness assessment. Moreover, local health teams organise free health checks from time to time, for example in a mobile unit or van. You might find them near places like libraries, shopping centers, places of worship, or day centers.
You could also buy a blood pressure machine to check your blood pressure regularly at home. To make sure you get reliable readings, it’s important to use a monitor that’s suitable for you and that you know how to use it. The British and Irish Hypertension Society have a list of clinically validated home blood pressure monitors – it means that they were tested to make sure they give results that are accurate and reliable.
All blood pressure monitors come with simple, clear instructions on how to use them but if you are not sure how to measure your blood pressure, have a look at Blood Pressure UK's home monitoring resource hub. You can find there a video, booklet, blood pressure chart, e-record card and other useful tips on how to measure your blood pressure. The NHS’ blood pressure reading calculator can also help you to find out whether your results are fine.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
Understanding blood pressure booklet- British Heat Foundation
High Blood Pressure: A chat with a cardiac nurse podcast - Ticker Tapes and BHF
Healthy lifestyle and blood pressure leaflet - Blood Pressure UK
Healthy eating and blood pressure leaflet - Blood Pressure UK
INVITE US TO YOUR WORKPLACE
There’s a good chance that some of your employees haven’t had their blood pressure checked recently. In fact, some of them may have never had a blood pressure test at all. Know Your Numbers! Week is an excellent opportunity to organise ‘Get to know your numbers’ Health Checks in your workplace which can help with the early identification of not only high blood pressure, but also high cholesterol and health conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, or kidney disease when they are asymptomatic in their initial stages. By identifying red flags early on, employees can work closely with their healthcare professionals to develop personalised strategies that promote disease prevention and management. This early intervention can significantly improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of chronic diseases. Ultimately, it can reduce sickness absence in the workplace and increase productivity among the staff.
If you would like to organise just a blood pressure check day in your workplace, you could do it through our Employee Health Checks which can help to identify staff with undiagnosed and uncontrolled high blood pressure so they can get the treatment and support they need to bring it under control. Get in touch with us to find out more.
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