Managing high blood pressure
Resources to help people living with high blood pressure
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What's high blood pressure?

Around 13.5 million people have high blood pressure in the UK[1]. You might also hear high blood pressure being called hypertension.

How do I know if I have high blood pressure?

There are usually no symptoms linked with high blood pressure. Most people will find out they have high blood pressure after having a blood pressure check with a pharmacist or GP.

How to treat high blood pressure

Treatment for high blood pressure involves lifestyle changes or medication.

High blood pressure and COVID-19

If you get coronavirus, you’re more likely to become seriously ill if you have high blood pressure, another heart condition or a condition relating to how blood circulates through the body, compared to someone who doesn’t have any health problems2. Advice for people who are at higher risk, on the NHS website.

Find out more
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Other health conditions that can cause high blood pressure
Other pre-existing health conditions can cause high blood pressure, including:
  • diabetes
  • kidney disease or infection
  • obstructive sleep apnoea
  • glomerulonephritis – damage to the tiny filters inside the kidneys
  • hormone problems
  • lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)3.

Reviewed by: Mital Thakrar

Review date: March 2022

Next review: March 2025

Can you help us improve our health information?

We want our health information to be as useful as possible. That's why we're looking to you for feedback.

If you're interested in helping, email us at content@well.co.uk.

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References
  1. Context | Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICE. Accessed December 7, 2020. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136/chapter/Context
  2. Coronavirus: what it means for you if you have heart or circulatory disease. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health
  3. High blood pressure (hypertension). nhs.uk. Published October 23, 2017. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/
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