Have YOU got high blood pressure? Everything you NEED to know and how to combat it...

Dr Pixie found fame on TV show Embarrassing Bodies

BLOOD PRESSURE is something often joked about in the office when there's a high level of stress, but it is a serious condition.

Not enough people understand how dangerous high blood pressure can be, and what can raise it significantly - like the affect of salt in your diet. 
News News Blog spoke to Dr Pixie McKenna - doctor and TV presenter - about the likelihood of heart attacks, monitoring your BP and the link to kidney disease.

High blood pressure can be extremely dangerous and even lead to heart attacks

 

Taking your own blood pressure and monitoring it can be extremely important

What is high blood pressure?
The force the blood puts on your blood vessel walls is called blood pressure. Weirdly we measure it in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) with normal blood pressure being 140/90 or less. The top number is called the systolic blood pressure and is the pressure reading taken when the heartbeats. The bottom number (doctors call this the diastolic) is the reading taken in between beats when the heart relaxes. Doctors call high blood pressure hypertension.

How does that compare to low blood pressure?
This is the opposite of the above where the pressure in the arteries is abnormally low. A reading less than 90/60 is by definition low. Doctors refer to low blood pressure as hypotension.

 

Is high blood pressure stress related?
Yes it can be. Stress revs us up and in doing so it can rev up our blood pressure because it causes us to release cortisol and adrenaline, which are our so-called "stress hormones".

Can you inherit high blood pressure?
Yes. If you have a relative with high blood pressure you are more likely to suffer. Interestingly this is thought to be a combination of both genes and environment.

Can what you eat affect it?
Yes! Having too much salt in your diet can contribute to high blood pressure. This means you need to stop adding salt to you food. Not only this you also need to avoid processed foods as 3/4 of the salt in our diet is hidden in foods, e.g. microwave meals, canned foods and takeaways. Low fat diets, which are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, can also help to reduce blood pressure.

Be careful about drinks too as alcohol and caffeine can also contribute to elevations in blood pressure.

 

Can it give you a heart attack? Is it really that serious?
Yes, high blood pressure is serious. Just because it rarely produces symptoms doesn't mean it doesn't result in risk. Because the increased pressure puts strain on the blood vessels it can result in damage to the heart, ranging from a heart attack to angina and blocked arteries.

It can also damage your brain resulting in stroke or memory problems, your kidneys making them malfunction, your eyes resulting in impaired vision or even blindness and can even cause sexual dysfunction.

What can you use to monitor it? Do wrist monitors work?
You can have a blood pressure check. If you are over 40 you can have a NHS health check and also have your blood pressure and other risk factors checked. Your GP or practice nurse can also check your blood pressure. Many surgeries now have machines in their waiting rooms where you can self-check your blood pressure by sticking your arm in an electronic device.

If you don't want to attend the doctors, pop into your pharmacy. Most high street pharmacies (e.g. Superdrug) have consultation rooms with nurses or pharmacists on hand to check your BP. There are also self-monitoring devices available to purchase so you can home monitor. Wrist devices are subject to more errors than hand held devices because patients may not position the device correctly in relation to the heart. Your high street pharmacist is best placed to advise you on monitors that meet the criteria for home testing.

 

How does having high blood pressure affect you day-to-day?
Generally it doesn’t which means that you can't use the presence or absence of symptoms as a guide to your blood pressure reading.

Can you ever lower it or is HPB permanent?
You can correct blood pressure by taking medication, but management is usually lifelong i.e. you don't simply get prescribed a course of tablets to tackle it as it is a regular rolling prescription tailored to your needs. Exercise, weight loss and lifestyle modification in terms of salt in the diet and stress etc. can also improve blood pressure. I have had numerous patients who have self-managed their blood pressure through reversing their bad habits.

It is seen more commonly in patients with kidney disease, endocrine disorders, pregnant women

Dr Pixie

Can it affect people of any age? How does it affect children?
It can affect anyone of any age however it is most common once you hit middle age and beyond. Half of all people over the age of 65 have high blood pressure. In terms of the adult population as a whole 1 in every 3 has high blood pressure and of those 1 in every 3 don't know!

Does it go hand-in-hand with any other diseases?
It is seen more commonly in patients with kidney disease, endocrine disorders, pregnant women, and those who take certain medications or recreational drugs.

What do the numbers on a blood pressure monitor mean and how often should you take your own BP? 
The top number i.e. the highest number is your systolic BP and is the measurement of pressure when the heart beats. The bottom is the lowest number and it the pressure measurement when the heart relaxes. All adults should have their blood pressure measured at least every 5 years once they hit 40. Free NHS Health check does this as part of the 5 yearly screen.

Can you control it without medication?
This is very much dependent on how severe your blood pressure is but weight loss, change of diet, exercise and stress reduction can have a big impact on getting your numbers down.