Five MILLION Brits now living with high blood pressure, research finds

England has lost the substantial gains it made in the 2000s to tackle high blood pressure, alarming research has suggested. 

Hypertension, as it is known medically, affects a third of adults and dramatically raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and even dementia.

Because it causes no symptoms, many go undiagnosed until serious damage is done. Yet caught early, these outcomes are preventable.

But, researchers from Queen Mary University of London, who assessed the health data of over 67,000 adults between 2003 and 2021, found rates of the condition have have plateaued since 2011.

While hypertension prevalence fell steadily from 37.8 per cent in 2003 to 33.2 per cent in 2018, it then stalled, they said. 

Rates of undiagnosed hypertension had also declined markedly from 32.6 per cent in 2003 to 23.7 per cent in 2011, they discovered. 

But the number of people undiagnosed rose again to 32.4 per cent by 2021, an estimated five million adults in England.  

The study also revealed that the proportion of people with undiagnosed high blood pressure who successfully achieved blood pressure control increased strongly until 2011.

However, it then showed no meaningful improvement over the following decade, dropping from 63.1 per cent in 2011 to 56.8 per cent in 2021.

Dr Ajay Gupta, senior study author and a consultant in cardiovascular medicine and clinical pharmacology at Queen Mary said, 'Despite early gains, only 38.3 per cent of people with hypertension now have adequately controlled blood pressure—far below the envisioned 80 per cent target if trends in the improvement continued in 2010’s. 

'This shortfall may be a key driver of recently seen rise in the cardiovascular deaths. Urgent action is needed from policymakers and healthcare providers.'

The scientists believe the stagnation in blood pressure control may be due to factors including growing obesity levels and higher salt intakes.

Research suggests adults consume up to ten times the amount of sodium – the metallic element in salt – required for their metabolisms every day. 

Experts have also previously cautioned that people eat what they think is a healthy diet, but processed foods are inevitably a part of it. 

Symptoms of high blood pressure include headaches, blurred vision, chest pain, nose bleeds, according to the NHS.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing on artery walls. A certain level is needed to get blood around the body, and this rises and falls throughout the day.

But when it is consistently too high the arteries become narrower, which increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack from build up of fatty deposits as well as forcing the heart to work harder.

Measuring blood pressure produces two numbers: systolic — the pressure when the heart beats — and diastolic, the pressure between beats. 

Anything above 140 (systolic) and 90 (diastolic) needs treating.

Blood pressure can be checked at home with a machine. Many pharmacies also offer free blood pressure checks for people who are aged 40 or older.