World Hypertension Day is shining a light on high blood pressure, which afflicts a third of UK adults - though they may not realise it.Blood pressure is a vital function of our bodies, though it isn't something you would even feel or notice.
Worryingly, the condition rarely has symptoms, but if left untreated, it raises the risks of a number of serious health problems.
Indeed, it is known as a 'silent killer' and its first sign could come in the form of a heart attack or stroke, says the charity Blood Pressure UK.
May 17 marks World Hypertension Day each year, which was founded in 2005 to increase the awareness of hypertension.Hypertension usually has no symptoms, but it's possible for some sufferers to notice a few signs.Blood pressure - the force with which your heart pumps blood around the body and gives it energy and oxygen - is measured by two numbers.The first and higher measurement is what's called systolic pressure, which is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.It's followed by a lower number known as diastolic pressure that measures the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels.
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