MORE than 16 million Britons are at risk from a deadly condition and a third of them have no idea until it's too late.

People with high blood pressure or hypertension rarely have any symptoms and the first many sufferers know about it is when they have a heart attack or a stroke.

The Blood Pressure Association (BPA) says 5.3 million people with high blood pressure are unaware of their condition, while only 1.6 million of those who are can control their blood pressure to target levels.

This failure to manage what is essentially a preventable condition causes 62,000 unnecessary deaths every year. People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke and twice as likely to die from these as people with normal blood pressure.

"Raised blood pressure is the most important cause of premature death in the world and is responsible for more than 60 per cent of all strokes and 50 per cent of all heart disease," says BPA executive director, Nickie Roberts.

"The first step is to know your blood pressure and the only way to do this is to have it checked. Having a blood pressure test is easy and painless," she says.

From September 12 to 18 the BPA is running its fifth annual Know Your Numbers campaign to encourage people to have their blood pressure checked.

Free testing and information will be on offer at special pressure stations located in gyms, pharmacies, work places, shopping centres and GP surgeries across the country.

"The BPA's message to everybody is know your blood pressure numbers and take that first step to fighting heart disease and stroke," Roberts says.

WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
High blood pressure also known as hypertension refers to the pressure of blood in your arteries. Having high blood pressure increases the strain on the arteries, which in turn increases the risk of them becoming narrow. This heightens the risk of developing narrow blood vessels or clots, which can cause damage to the heart or brain.

The higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk of heart problems, strokes, kidney disease or failure, some eye conditions and diabetes.

The BPA says blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg is considered to be high.

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS
When blood pressure is taken it is written down as two numbers. The first number is called the systolic pressure and shows the pressure in your arteries when your heart is forcing blood through them. The bottom number is called the diastolic pressure and shows the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest.

The top number can be between 90 and 240, while the bottom number can be between 60 and 140.

Both numbers are important and it is essential that people are given treatment to lower their blood pressure whether either or both are raised.

The BPA recommends that adults have their blood pressure checked every five years, but if your blood pressure is on the high side of normal you should get it checked every year.

AM I AT RISK?
High blood pressure can affect anyone even otherwise fit and healthy people but some groups are more at risk than others.

The BPA say that if you have a family history of high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack, you are more likely to suffer high blood pressure yourself.

People of African-Caribbean and South Asian origin are also more at risk of developing high blood pressure.

Men have higher rates of high blood pressure until the ages of 55 to 64, then the incidence of high blood pressure is higher in women over the age of 65. Over 70 per cent of 65-year-olds about eight million people have high blood pressure in the UK.

Geographically, Londoners have the lowest average blood pressure, while Northerners tend to have higher rates of high blood pressure than Southerners.

LOOK AFTER YOUR LIFESTYLE
Lowering your blood pressure requires changing your lifestyle, taking medication, or both.

High blood pressure can often be helped by making simple lifestyle changes.

The BPA recommends cutting down on salt and fat in your diet, and including more fruit and vegetables. Maintaining your ideal weight and taking more exercise will also help.

Giving heart attack patients high doses of B vitamins may do more harm than good, according to a new Norwegian study. While previous research had suggested that vitamin B6 and folic acid (otherwise known as vitamin B9) could lower their chances of suffering another attack or a stroke, results from the latest research trial reveal the opposite.

One in three heart attack victims suffers another attack or a stroke within three years. Medics have been looking for ways of reducing the risk of another attack happening, mainly focusing on drug treatment and lifestyle changes.

by Lucy Corry