Neil Magee: Know your numbers this World Hypertension Day

Neil Magee is the new Cardiovascular Disease lead for Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System.

On 17 May 2024, we celebrate World Hypertension Day, a day dedicated to highlighting the importance of monitoring blood pressure and bringing global awareness to the one billion people living with high blood pressure worldwide.

What is Hypertension?

Blood pressure is the term used to describe the strength with which your blood pushes on the sides of your arteries as it’s pumped around your body. High blood pressure is called ‘hypertension’, which means your heart is working harder when pumping blood around your body.

Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers. The systolic pressure (higher number) is the peak force at which your heart pumps blood around your body. The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels during the resting phase between heartbeats.

Hypertension – the silent killer

Hypertension is the biggest long-term condition in the UK affecting one in four adults, half of whom are undiagnosed or their blood pressure is not controlled. For every 100 people treated with drugs to control blood pressure (antihypertensives) one heart attack is avoided. Regular home blood pressure monitoring across the population of mid and south Essex could prevent up to 7,200 heart attacks and 11,448 strokes over three years.

Know your numbers

It is important to know your numbers to check your blood pressure is within a healthy range, because if your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.

Persistent long term untreated high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and many other serious conditions.

Managing your blood pressure

You can manage your blood pressure at home. It’s really important to monitor your blood pressure correctly. Check out our video on how to take your blood pressure reading at home:

You can find out if your blood pressure is in normal range:

It is important that you contact your local GP surgery if you have high blood pressure readings, so that they can support you to get it under control. Also, if you’re aged 40 and over, you can also get a free blood pressure check at your local participating pharmacy, without needing to book in advance. Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks near you by searching “pharmacy blood pressure check” online or visit:

Change your lifestyle and reduce your risk

Fortunately, if you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these health conditions.

There are some ways you can proactively reduce your blood pressure such as getting active, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balance diet, just to name a few.

Find our about how you can make positive changes:

Find out more about blood pressure: