What are normal blood pressure numbers? A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg. No matter your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
How do you feel when you have high blood pressure?
Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms. Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure.
Things that can increase your risk of getting high blood pressureYou might be more at risk if you:
are overweight
eat too much salt and do not eat enough fruit and vegetables
do not do enough exercise
drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
smoke
do not get much sleep or have disturbed sleep
are over 65
have a relative with high blood pressure
are of black African or black Caribbean descent
live in a deprived area
Known causes of high blood pressure
In about 1 in 20 cases, high blood pressure happens as the result of an underlying health condition or taking a certain medicine.
Health conditions that can cause high blood pressure include:
kidney disease
diabetes
long-term kidney infections
obstructive sleep apnoea – where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, interrupting normal breathing
glomerulonephritis – damage to the tiny filters inside the kidneys
narrowing of the arteries supplying the kidneys
hormone problems – such as an underactive thyroid, an overactive thyroid, Cushing's syndrome, acromegaly, increased levels of the hormone aldosterone (hyperaldosteronism), and phaeochromocytoma
lupus – a condition in which the immune system attacks parts of the body, such as the skin, joints and organs
scleroderma – a condition that causes thickened skin, and sometimes problems with organs and blood vessels
Medicines that can increase your blood pressure include:
contraceptive pill
steroids
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – such as ibuprofen and naproxen
some pharmacy cough and cold remedies
some herbal remedies – particularly those containing liquorice
some recreational drugs – such as cocaine and amphetamines
some selective serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) antidepressants – such as venlafaxine
When treatment is recommended
Everyone with high blood pressure is advised to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Whether medicine is also recommended depends on your blood pressure reading and your risk of developing problems such as heart attacks or strokes.
Your doctor will carry out some blood and urine tests, and ask questions about your health to determine your risk of other problems:
if your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90mmHg (or 135/85mmHg at home), but your risk of other problems is low you'll be advised to make some changes to your lifestyle
if your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90mmHg (or 135/85mmHg at home) and your risk of other problems is high you'll be offered medicine to lower your blood pressure, in addition to lifestyle changes
if your blood pressure is consistently above 160/100mmHg you'll be offered medicine to lower your blood pressure, in addition to lifestyle changes
