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25 April 2022
Our blood pressure is something that many of us will barely spare a thought on. Often, it will only become the focus when something goes wrong or if it gets picked up at a routine health check. Yet it’s thought that around 6 million adults in the UK may be living with high blood pressure without knowing it.*
According to the NHS, your ‘normal’ blood pressure should be between 90 over 60 and 120 over 80. If your blood pressure is 140 over 90 or higher, you would be considered to have high blood pressure. If it’s 90 over 60 or lower, you would be considered to have low blood pressure.
There’s not always an obvious cause behind why someone develops high blood pressure (hypertension), but some of the risk factors that could lead you to developing high blood pressure are:
You can find further risk factors on the NHS website or you can read our conditions guide to learn more about it.
One of the issues with high blood pressure is that it can often be symptomless but can lead to a multitude of health conditions if left unchecked.
Regularly monitoring, especially if you have a family history of high blood pressure or are at a higher risk of developing the condition, is key to helping you spot any changes and get them investigated by your doctor as soon as possible.
There are many home blood pressure monitors you can use to keep track of your stats. These tend to come in two main types that you can use, one that fits on your wrist and one that fits on your upper arm. Which one you choose is mainly down to personal preference and what features you’re looking for.
The Beurer BC21 Speaking Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor, for example, has a risk classification indicator, so you can see at a glance if your blood pressure needs further investigation. This electric blood pressure monitor also speaks your results aloud as well as showing them on screen, which is very useful if you have difficulties with your vision.
More comfortable with a blood pressure monitor that goes around your arm? The Beurer BM 93 Blood Pressure Monitor with ECG Function is a highly useful monitor that is also able to monitor your heart rhythm. This could help detect arrhythmia (an abnormal heart rhythm) among other things.
It’s important to remember that your home blood pressure monitor is just a tool for keeping an eye on your health and there is always room for error. Your first port of call should always be to your GP to confirm a diagnosis. From there they will be able to advise you of steps you could take to lower your blood pressure and offer further monitoring or potentially prescribe medication to help treat it. They may also wish to do other checks to get a better picture of your overall health.
If you have any concerns about your blood pressure you should always speak with your GP.
* https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/know-your-numbers/why-is-know-your-numbers-needed/
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