​ ​	Mayank Patel, our Tooting pharmacist, on why it’s important to keep an eye on your blood pressure and how the Pearl Chemist Group can help.

Monitoring your blood pressure is vital, especially as you get older or have a history of health problems. High blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and diabetes.

While effective treatments have been available for more than 50 years, there are still large sections of the population where it is left untreated. More than 1 in 3 people with high blood pressure don’t even know they have it. That’s why this potentially life-threatening disease is sometimes referred to as the “silent stalker”— or even the “silent killer.”

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Before diagnosing high blood pressure, your healthcare providers will check (and recheck) your blood pressure, as well ask you about your personal and family health history, check your weight, and possibly do some tests. Part of the reason for these tests is to find out if another condition is causing your high blood pressure — or if your high blood pressure is leading to other problems (such as heart disease or kidney disease).

Your doctor may also ask you to take and record your own blood pressure at home. This can help establish your normal blood pressure pattern. 

How is blood pressure measured?

A blood pressure measurement is expressed as two numbers: systolic “over” diastolic. 

• Systolic blood pressure — the top number — is the pressure in your arteries when the heart contracts, or beats, pushing blood through the arteries. 
• Diastolic blood pressure — the bottom number — is the pressure remaining in your arteries when the heart relaxes between beats.
   

What causes high blood pressure?

Risk factors you can’t change:

• Family history. High blood pressure tends to run in the family. 
• Age. Generally, the older you get the, the greater chance you have of getting high blood pressure. Most common ages are 35-50 for men, and women, after menopause.
• Ethnic origin. People from African-Caribbean and South Asian communities are at greater risk than other people of high blood pressure.

Risk factors you can change: 

• Inactivity. People not active have a 20 – 50% increased risk
• Being overweight. Excess weight gain adds extra stress to the heart and arteries. 
• Poor diet. Eating too much salt, drinking too much alcohol, and poor eating habits can also increase your risk of high blood pressure. 
• Stress. Bodies respond to stress by raising blood pressure, unmanaged and ongoing stress will keep blood pressure high.
• Smoking. Each time you smoke a cigarette, it causes an immediate and significant rise in blood pressure. 

5 Lifestyle changes

If you’ve been told you have high blood pressure, don’t be discouraged. With the help of your healthcare professional, you can work through it. Often lifestyle changes can make a big difference. You can follow this simple name: MAWDS

M is for Medication
Take your medication. Make your medication part of your routine, and don’t stop taking medication just because your blood pressure is ok. It probably just means it’s working! 

A is for Active
Stay active each day. Walk, exercise, swim, anything to get your body moving. Do this for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week. 

W is for Weight
Manage a healthy weight. Make changes to your diet and activity level – even a small amount will help! 

D is for Diet
Eat a healthy diet. Start by adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet and reduce salt.

S is for Smoking
Stop smoking and manage stress.

You have more control over high blood pressure than you realise. Work with your local pharmacy and GP to find a healthy eating, exercise and general well-being program that will work for you – then reap the rewards of healthy living!

We sell blood pressure kits starting at £15.99. We also offer blood pressure testing for free for our regular patients who bring in their prescriptions – otherwise, we charge £4 per test, but are offering free blood pressure checks to everyone until the end of July.

You can find out more on the Pearl website or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Pearl Chemist Group is part of our Tooting Wellbeing Network, bringing you info about health, fitness and wellbeing in Tooting!

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