High blood pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, means the force of blood against your artery walls is consistently higher than normal, putting extra strain on the heart and blood vessels over time. It is often called a "silent" condition because it typically causes no symptoms, even though it significantly increases long-term risk of serious problems like heart attack and stroke if left untreated. It is diagnosed through repeated blood pressure measurements over time, rather than a single reading.

In most cases, no single specific cause is identified (called essential or primary hypertension), though risk factors include age, family history, being overweight, high salt intake, lack of exercise, excess alcohol, and stress. In a smaller proportion of cases, an underlying specific cause such as kidney disease or a hormonal condition can be identified (secondary hypertension). Often several contributing factors combine to raise blood pressure over time.

High blood pressure typically causes no symptoms at all, which is why it is often called a silent condition and why regular checking, rather than waiting for symptoms, is the main way it is detected. Very severely elevated blood pressure can occasionally cause symptoms such as severe headache, visual disturbance, or chest pain, which would need urgent assessment. This general lack of symptoms is exactly why routine blood pressure checks matter, even when you feel completely well.

Yes, sustained high blood pressure significantly increases the long-term risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and other serious complications, even though it typically causes no symptoms in the meantime. This is why it is taken seriously and treated even in the absence of symptoms, since the goal is preventing these future complications. Effective treatment substantially reduces these long-term risks.

Treatment typically combines lifestyle measures, such as reducing salt intake, regular exercise, moderating alcohol, weight management, and stress reduction, with medication if lifestyle changes alone are not sufficient to bring blood pressure into a healthy target range. Several different classes of blood pressure medication are available, and your doctor will choose the most appropriate one, or combination, based on your individual health profile. Regular monitoring helps ensure blood pressure remains well controlled over time and guides any needed adjustments to treatment.

In some cases, particularly when related to modifiable lifestyle factors, meaningful lifestyle changes such as weight loss and reduced salt intake can bring blood pressure back into a normal range without needing ongoing medication. In many cases, though, high blood pressure is a chronic condition managed long-term with medication and lifestyle measures rather than fully cured, particularly as risk increases with age. Even with medication, continuing healthy lifestyle habits remains valuable for overall cardiovascular health.

For most adults, blood pressure should be checked at least every few years, and more frequently, such as annually or more often, once elevated readings or other risk factors are identified. If you are on treatment for high blood pressure, regular monitoring, sometimes including home blood pressure monitoring, helps ensure it remains well controlled. Your GP can advise on the most appropriate checking frequency for your individual risk profile.

See a doctor for a routine blood pressure check if you have not had one recently, particularly if you have risk factors such as being overweight, having a family history of high blood pressure, or being over 40. A private health assessment including blood pressure checking can typically be arranged within about a week. Seek urgent care for very severe headache, chest pain, or visual disturbance associated with suspected very high blood pressure, as this can indicate a hypertensive emergency needing immediate treatment.