Blood pressure
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure.
It's possible to develop high blood pressure at any age. In England, a third of people (31.7% of men and 29.5% of women) have high blood pressure, also called hypertension.
The silent killer
It's sometimes called the 'silent killer', because most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms and don't realise they have it.
People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke than people with normal blood pressure. And they are twice as likely to die from these diseases. If it isn't treated, high blood pressure can also lead to kidney failure and eye damage.
Eating less salt can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood pressing against the walls of the arteries, as the heart pumps blood around the body.
The heart beats by contracting and relaxing. Every time the heart contracts it forces blood around the body. This is a heartbeat. The heart rests briefly between each heartbeat.
The pressure of blood flowing through your arteries is higher when your heart contracts than when it relaxes. So when a doctor or nurse takes your blood pressure, they look at two different measurements.
- Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart contracts and forces blood around the body.
- Diastolic pressure is the pressure when the heart is resting. This is lower than systolic pressure.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
When someone tells you what your blood pressure is, they will give one figure for your systolic pressure and another for your diastolic pressure. For example, if you have a systolic pressure of 130mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 70mmHg, they will usually say that your blood pressure is '130 over 70'.
What causes high blood pressure?
There are a number of things that increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, including:
- eating too much salt
- being overweight
- not being physically active
- drinking too much alcohol
If one or both of your parents have (or had) high blood pressure, you are more likely to develop it.
How do I know if I have high blood pressure?
Most people with high blood pressure don't have any symptoms. The only way to find out is to have your blood pressure measured.
Everyone's blood pressure goes up and down at different times of the day. Sometimes it can be higher when you're anxious or stressed. Usually your doctor or nurse will take your blood pressure several times before deciding if you have high blood pressure. Then your doctor may prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure.
There isn't a fixed threshold between normal and high blood pressure. But generally a pressure below 140/90mmHg would be considered normal and ideally it should be 120/80mmHg or below to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
See The salt you eat for more information on what foods are high in salt.
Visit the Blood Pressure Association site for more information on blood pressure.
