Are YOU one of the ‘missing millions' at risk of heart attacks due to undiagnosed silent killer – the 4 signs to know
The charity said more than 125,000 deadly emergencies could be prevented in the next decade if doctors tracked down people unaware they are at risk.
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High blood pressure becomes more common with age (stock image)
Credit: Getty
It estimates five million people are not getting the right treatment.
The BHF estimates 16million people – about a third of adults – have it, but around half are not getting treatment and five million don't even know they have it.
Untreated, it is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes and accounts for about half of them.
Chief medical officer Professor Bryan Williams said: 'This is a powder keg for the nation's future health.
'Making sure these people are identified and treated is critical.
'Huge gains can be made by reimagining how we detect and treat common risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure.
'But at the moment, millions of people are still living undiagnosed with these conditions, which raise the risk of serious illness such as heart attack and stroke.'
Most read in Health
Heart diseases are the leading cause of death in the UK, on a par with cancer.
High blood pressure usually does not cause any symptoms but it is easily detected with routine health checks.
What is high blood pressure and what is a normal reading?
Some people do show signs of illness and they can include:
Headaches
Blurred vision
Nosebleeds
Chest pains
How to lower blood pressure
Persistent high blood pressure (hypertension) puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs and it can raise your risk of serious conditions like heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. Here's how to reduce it.
Reduce salt
Adults are recommended to limit their salt to 6g per day (around one level teaspoon) to avoid health consequences including high blood pressure.
The top tip is to swap out table salt, according to the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study, replacing it with a reduced sodium and added potassium alternative.
Cut down on alcohol
Excessive boozing can narrow the blood vessels, which raises the risk of hypertension.
Official drinking guidelines advise that people should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week to keep health risks from alcohol low.
Get moving
Exercise is good for the heart and the blood vessels.
Although the guidelines recommend 150 minutes of activity per week, if you're currently very inactive, just a walk to the shop every day is better than nothing, and you can work up from there.
Studies suggest that isometric exercises - when you hold the body in one position without moving, such as a wall squat or plank - are best for lowering blood pressure.
Stop smoking
Smoking cigarettes is a killer. It makes the arteries sticky and narrow, which can cause blockages.
While smoking is not a direct cause of high blood pressure, it can cause an instant rise to pressure, heart rate and reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the body's cells.
Skip coffee
Sadly, caffeine can cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure - even if you don't have high blood pressure.
Therefore cutting back on coffee is recommended as a lifestyle tip for those with hypertension.
Lose weight
The above tips can help you to lose weight, which is beneficial because being overweight in itself is a risk factor for hypertension.
Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body, which can raise your blood pressure.
The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.
All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.
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