At NKMT our aim is to therefore reduce the number of brain haemorrhage caused as a result of high blood pressure through better EDUCATION, AWARENESS and ACCESS to monitors.
There are many different causes of Brain Haemorrhages, but one of the leading causes is High Blood Pressure.
Despite this a third of the population has high blood pressure and 50% of these people are undiagnosed. *bloodpressureuk.org
What is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as the heart pumps it throughout the body. It is measured in two numbers: systolic (the top number) is the pressure when the heart beats, and diastolic (the bottom number) is the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
A reading of 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal, whilst readings which are persistently higher than 140/90 mm Hg (known as hypertension) can damage blood vessels and lead to serious health problems.
Why does High Blood Pressure cause such problems?
High blood pressure is responsible for more than half of all strokes and heart attacks, it leads to damage of the blood vessels in the brain, making them more susceptible to a bleed.
Moreover, if you already have weakened blood vessels in the brain e.g due to an aneurysm or an AVM then this increased pressure, again, makes the brain more vulnerable to a bleed.
Managing your blood pressure does not completely prevent a brain haemorrhage, but it significantly reduces your risk of one.
Listen to this episode of our Prevent the Preventable podcast to understand more about the risks of high blood pressure.
Where to test your blood pressure?
The first step to managing your blood pressure is testing it; once you have done that you know where you are and you can review if you need to make any changes to better manage your blood pressure.
There are a lot of places you can check your blood pressure, including:
.png)
Visit your GP
Book an appointment with your GP and ask them to check your blood pressure.
Some GP’s even have a blood pressure monitor in the reception for you to nip in and check your own.
.png)
Visit your Local Pharmacy
Most Pharmacy’s offer free blood pressure checks - this is the easiest solution to getting your blood pressure checked, without having to wait for a GP appointment.
.png)
Purchase a Monitor
Blood pressure kits can be bought from most pharmacies or online. Having a blood pressure monitor at home is the best way to consistently monitor and manage your blood pressure. By messaging your blood pressure at home you will also more likely not to experience ‘white coat syndrome’.
How to check your own blood pressure?
Checking your blood pressure is very straightforward and only requires a simple 40 second test.
-
Place the arm cuff just above your elbow, directly over the skin, not over clothes. The cuff should be about 2cm above your elbow to make sure it can detect the artery in your arm, just under the skin.
-
The cuff will squeeze your arm for around 40 seconds, whilst the numbers on the screen will go up and then come down. The Cuff will then fully release and give you your reading.
-
Check your blood pressure in a calm environment in which you feel relaxed.
-
Avoid having caffeine, alcohol or taking part in exercise before testing.
-
Keep still and quiet while you take your reading; Moving, chewing, talking and laughing can affect your reading.
-
Make sure you don't cross your legs, as this will raise your reading.
-
Take two or three readings, each about one to two minutes apart. If your first reading is much higher than the next, ignore it and take an extra reading. Once you have two to three readings, you can work out the average. Keep a record of your measurements.
Know your numbers.
Protect your health.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms, yet it is one of the biggest contributors to stroke and brain haemorrhage. Checking your blood pressure gives you vital insight into your health and allows you to take action early if needed.
WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?
The top number, the higher pressure, represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, pumping blood into the arteries: this is called systolic pressure.
The bottom number, the lower pressure represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats. This pressure is called diastolic pressure.
A reading of 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal, whilst readings which are persistently higher than 140/90 mm Hg (known as hypertension) can damage blood vessels and lead to serious health problems.
Next steps after taking your blood pressure.
Your blood pressure will go up and down throughout the day depending on many factors, such as your stress levels, if you have just exercised, what you have eaten etc, what is important to understand is if it is consistently high, especially when you are calm and at rest.
Remember that high blood pressure shows no symptoms so even if it is high, you won’t know unless you test.
What to do if your blood pressure is HIGH?
If your blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mm Hg (known as hypertension) we advise you to test again and if it remains high please contact your GP.
If your Systolic blood pressure is over 180mm HG please take action immediately and contact 111 or visit your nearest walk-in centre.
If you have any concerns whatsoever, then please speak with your GP.
What to do if your blood pressure is NORMAL?
Continue to monitor your blood pressure periodically, making it a habit so you know if you need to take any action to manage it - sign up to our Monthly Reminders, so you don’t forget.
Continue to review your lifestyle to ensure it is supporting your blood pressure in the long term, look at stress, sleep, diet, alcohol intake etc and prevent high blood pressure before it even happens.
Share your reading and we will email you a simple explanation of what it means, along with guidance on how to keep your brain healthy and protected through positive lifestyle choices.
Lifestyle and blood pressure.
Lifestyle can be a major contributor to high blood pressure, therefore managing your lifestyle and wellbeing may help to reduce high blood pressure. Poor diet high in salt, little exercise, stress, poor sleep, smoking and alcohol consumption are all key contributors to high blood pressure.
If managing your lifestyle does not help to lower your blood pressure, your doctor may advise for you to go on medication. However, if you do have consistenty high blood pressure, please ensure you always speak to your GP.
Learn more by reading our 6 ways to keep your blood pressure down blog.
Host a Lunch & Learn.
We would love to come into your company to discuss the work we do, our focus around preventing the preventable, the challenges we have available along with practical tips such as the importance of checking your blood pressure.
Support your colleague’s health with our interactive lunch and learn session to help educate them on blood pressure and improve their lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of brain haemorrhages.
FAQs
Place the arm cuff just above your elbow. The cuff should be about 2cm above your elbow to make sure it can detect the artery in your arm, just under the skin.
Blood pressure can be quite variable, even in the same person. Blood pressure goes up and down with different normal daily activities, it can differ from day to night and between seasons. It can also rise when you grow older and if you gain weight. This is why it is important to test more frequently.
It is uncommon for hypertension to disappear by itself. The general rule is that blood pressure gets higher with time and the risk of complications goes up also. Which is why it is important to keep on top of your blood pressure to avoid complications.
Yes! Depending on the individual circumstance, it may be that certain lifestyle changes will support to lower your blood pressure e.g. stopping smoking, reducing salt intake and alcohol intake, losing weight, improving sleep and reducing stress. Otherwise your doctor may advise to medication to lower your blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure or if you are worried at all always speak to your GP.
Unfortunately hypertension usually causes no symptoms, so over time severe damage to your arteries, heart, and brain can occur before the condition is diagnosed. This can happen to anyone of any age, which is why it is important that everyone tests their blood pressure regularly in order to mitigate this risk.
Hypertension affects all ages. In a report from the ONS, they show that the age group 16-35 has the highest percentage of undiagnosed cases of high blood pressure proportionally to the number of cases. Moreover they show that a large percentage of people who have undiagnosed hypertension would self diagnose themselves as being in good health, not be obese or smoke. This is why it is important for everyone to check their blood pressure.
When and how often you take your readings will depend on your blood pressure. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s suitable for you.
It can be useful to monitor your blood pressure closely to begin with, such as every day for a week, then less often but at regular intervals, such as once a week.
When and how often you take your readings will depend on your blood pressure. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s suitable for you.
It can be useful to monitor your blood pressure closely to begin with, such as every day for a week, then less often but at regular intervals, such as once a week.
Sign up to our monthly blood pressure reminders, to be reminded to check your blood pressure.
The top number, the higher pressure, represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, pumping blood into the arteries: this is called systolic pressure.
The bottom number, the lower pressure represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats. This pressure is called diastolic pressure.
White coat syndrome is a phenomenon where blood pressure is artificially high during a medical appointment but normal at other times, primarily due to anxiety or stress associated with the clinical setting