Young people in Liverpool are putting their health in jeopardy with high blood pressure, a new report revealed today.
While high blood pressure is often prevalent in older people, the study of 8586 people over the age of 16 across the UK showed that one in four under the age of 34 in Liverpool had a high blood pressure reading.
The average blood pressure reading for Liverpool was 139/86, with 58 per cent of those tested showing signs of high blood pressure, while only one in four people in the area had ideal or normal blood pressure.
Men seem more at risk than women with a troubling 74 per cent of men in Liverpool showing signs of hypertension compared to just 52 per cent of Liverpool’s women.
Research conducted by Lloydspharmacy shows that more than seven in ten people in the UK have never had their blood pressure checked. With one in five doing no forms of exercise, it is perhaps no surprise that blood pressure in Liverpool is soaring, and begs the question as to whether the hectic ‘have-it-all’ lifestyle of modern Britain is causing our blood pressure to spiral out of control.
The figures show that Liverpool is just one of many places in the UK where residents are showing signs of high blood pressure. Across the UK, the average blood pressure is 140/86, with one in ten people over the age of 55 showing signs of severe or very severe hypertension.
Shafeeque Mohammed, clinical pharmacist and heart health expert at Lloydspharmacy, said: “Although we must bear in mind that a one-off blood pressure test is not conclusive, cumulatively the average readings were higher than anticipated. It was particularly worrying to see the number of younger people with readings that put them in the hypertensive category. We would certainly want to explore this further.
“High blood pressure is something that most people don’t think they need to worry about until later in life, but it can affect you at any age. It often has no symptoms until it has become extremely severe, so it’s vital to have your blood pressure tested regularly.
“That's why we are inviting all adults in the UK to have their blood pressure tested in-pharmacy for free. Through our heart campaign we want to encourage a change in attitude and help people manage their own health and to take steps to prevent illness.
“There are also a number of factors that can contribute to higher blood pressure including smoking, lack of physical activity, obesity, an unhealthy diet and excess alcohol, so it’s important for young adults to recognise the risk and take action by managing their lifestyles carefully.”
Professor O’Brien, Professor of Cardiovascular Pharmacology at The Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, adds: “Lack of blood pressure control increases the chances of cardiovascular problems such as strokes, heart attacks or kidney problems.
“Recent evidence shows that although prescribing of blood pressure-lowering drugs has increased, BP control has not improved. It is apparent that prescribing alone is not the answer – people of all ages need to take their blood pressure seriously and re-evaluate their lifestyle to reduce the risk of hypertension.”
Lloydspharmacy has been offering free blood pressure checks in its pharmacies since 2003 and has conducted over 1.5 million checks to date. In addition to the testing service, the pharmacy chain has recently launched a new range of affordable blood pressure monitors which are approved by the British Hypertension Society and offer a convenient way to monitor your blood pressure at home in between GP appointments.
For more information, visit www.lloydspharmacy.com/heart.
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