Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Information
Our goal is to help you to manage your condition well and to minimise the impact of the condition on your long-term health.
High blood pressure, also known as Hypertension or Raised Blood Pressure, is when the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is consistently too high. Around a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, although many will not realise it. The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to have your blood pressure checked.
High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms, but persistent and untreated high blood pressure can increase the risk of several serious and potentially life-threatening health problems such as heart attacks and strokes.
Hypertension (or "high blood pressure") is a serious condition but is simple to diagnose and can be easy to manage with the right medication and lifestyle (see more below).
What should my blood pressure be?
To complete a blood pressure diary, you should monitor your blood pressure every morning and evening for 7 consecutive days. Please make sure this is not measured first thing in the morning but at least 20 mins after rising. Each time you record your blood pressure, you should ensure that you relax for a few minutes beforehand and your feet are flat on the floor. You should repeat the check 3 times in a row and record the lowest of those 3 readings
You can either submit your readings via the form on our BP calculator page or request a paper form from Reception if you are unable to submit your readings online or print the form below.
Our BP Calculator page gives you the option of submitting a Single Reading or submitting a 7-Day BP Diary. Please only submit a 7-day diary if you are concerned about your blood pressure or if requested by a clinician.
Information about normal blood pressure ranges depending on your age and conditions:
(note that you may have agreed on a different target range with your nurse, GP or specialist)
You’ve just been diagnosed with high blood pressure:
During the course of your investigations for high blood pressure, you will need to have some blood tests (eg kidney function, cholesterol) and possibly a heart tracing (ECG). A few people may need more specialist investigations. The most important thing is to keep a diary of your blood pressure readings.
How do I control my blood pressure?
Download this MS Word care plan which you can complete to help you to manage your blood pressure.
How to reduce your blood pressure
High Blood Pressure can often be prevented or reduced by eating healthily, maintaining healthy body weight, taking regular exercise, drinking alcohol in moderation and not smoking.
Salt has a significant impact on your blood pressure, and cutting it out completely can be as effective as medication at reducing your blood pressure. There is already plenty of salt in the foods we eat so we should avoid eating any salt or eating foods that contain added salt (like salted snacks).
More and more, people are taking control of their high blood pressure by having a blood pressure monitor at home (see links below) and taking steps to improve their blood pressure.
These include taking more exercise, having a healthier and low-salt diet, stopping smoking and drinking less alcohol and, where needed, taking medication consistently.
Above all, being as informed as possible, often sharing experiences with others and building healthy daily routines makes the biggest difference.