‘What you don’t know could kill you’ – charity recommends checking blood pressure to avoid ‘silent killer’

The association advises the public to be examined by their general practitioner or in a pharmacy to detect this disease, which often presents no symptoms.

High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart and kidney failure, or dementia.

“What you don’t know could kill you,” said Janis Morrisey, director of health promotion at the Irish Heart Foundation.

“High blood pressure, in the vast majority of cases, does not present any symptoms,” she added.

Nearly 10,000 lives were lost in Ireland to heart disease and stroke in 2022, according to the latest figures.

Blood pressure is a measure of how efficiently the heart pumps blood around the body, as a high reading and hypertension can be managed with medications and lifestyle changes.

A normal reading is around 120 over 80, with high blood pressure defined as 140 over 90 or higher.

Ms Morrisey said: “The vast majority of people diagnosed with hypertension have no warning symptoms, so it is essential that blood pressure is checked and controlled. »

“It’s quick, easy, painless and requires no blood work,” she added.

It comes as the Irish Heart Foundation runs its ‘Before the damage is done’ campaign throughout May and June to encourage adults to have their blood pressure checked.

The risk of high blood pressure increases with age, so the national charity has urged people over 50 in particular who may have high blood pressure to get checked.

Everyone over the age of 30 should have their blood pressure checked every five years.

“There may be a history of hypertension in your family, so a GP will look at cholesterol, weight and lifestyle factors to assess your heart health,” Ms Morrissey added.

A GP can assess risk levels and advise patients to have more frequent check-ups.

Hypertension can be managed not only through prescribed medications, but also through lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption.

Meanwhile, consultant cardiologist and medical director of the Irish Heart Foundation, Dr Angie Brown, said high blood pressure is the “biggest risk factor” for stroke, heart disease, seizures heart disease and dementia.

“A quarter of people who suffer a stroke are under the age of 65, which can have devastating consequences not only on a person’s health, but also on their quality of life and financial independence if they are forced to stop working,” she said.

“Thousands of local pharmacies across Ireland offer free blood pressure checks, while most GPs carry them out during general consultations,” she added.