blood pressure

Blood pressure is one of several core indicators of health that provides key data on the state of your wellbeing. It can detect health issues, predict major risks and also monitor treatments and interventions. It’s a particularly important metric to manage because it can help to reduce your risk of 'silent' health conditions like hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, which is often symptomless. ‘Undiagnosed and uncontrolled high blood pressure results in the furring up (a build-up of fatty deposits) and stiffness of arteries in the body resulting in major health problems impacting longevity and quality of life,’ says Mr Veerasamy, consultant cardiologist at Nuffield Health Leeds Hospital . High blood pressure is the third biggest risk factor for premature death and disability in England after smoking and poor diet , and it affects around one in four UK adults. Maintaining a normal blood pressure is one of the best ways to support long-term health – but what does that actually look like? Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, for instance, 120/80. ‘The number on top is the systolic pressure, which measures the pressure on the arteries when the heart is contracting and pumping blood out of the main chamber,’ explains Mr Veerasamy. The bottom number represents diastolic blood pressure; the pressure on the arteries when the heart is relaxing, between beats, to receive blood into the main chamber. Blood pressure increases with age and is influenced by a number of non-modifiable factors, such as ethnicity and genetics. There are also several lifestyle factors that can cause or contribute to high blood pressure, including excess alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, mental wellbeing , socio-economic status and excess dietary salt . ‘High blood pressure can be caused by activation of several control systems in the body, and the mechanism may be different in different people,’ says Sandra J. Taler, M.D., professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic . ‘Most commonly, there is excessive sodium chloride (salt) intake which results in the body holding additional water, filling the blood space and raising blood pressure in the arteries.’ Ideal blood pressure depends on your age and whether you have any pre-existing medical conditions. It doesn’t vary by decade – instead, guidelines are based on whether you’re under or over age 80.