Nearly three in 10 people in England who have high blood pressure are unaware they have this potentially fatal condition, equating to some 4.2 million people, official figures have warned.
The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown that an estimated 32% of adults in England have high blood pressure and, of those, 29% are undiagnosed.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is often called ‘the silent killer’ because there will be no obvious symptoms that come with it, yet it can put someone at greater of stroke, heart disease, thrombosis or aneurysms.
The highest total estimated number of cases was among males aged 55 to 64 years, with some 500,000 males in this age group with undiagnosed hypertension, said ONS. This was followed by females aged 65 to 74 years, or 460,000 females, it said.
However, the most likely to be undiagnosed were younger adults, because they are the least likely to have hypertension in the first place.
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Younger males with hypertension were particularly likely to be undiagnosed, with 66% of males aged 16 to 24 years falling into this category, compared with 26% of females in the same age group.
This was followed by 55% of males and 44% of females aged 25 to 34 years. By comparison, just 17% of males and 21% of females aged 75 years and over go undiagnosed, said the ONS.
Other groups who are most likely to be undiagnosed include males living in rural areas, those living in regions other than London, or thosewho had never regularly smoked, said the statistics agency.
Females who were married or in a civil partnership, had degree-level or equivalent qualifications, or who worked for small employers or own-account workers were also more likely to have fallen through a diagnosis gap, it added.
High blood pressure is generally considered to be a reading above 140/90mmHg (although this will be higher for those aged over 80). Anything above 121/81mm can be an indicator that someone is at risk of developing high blood pressure.
Annual events such as Know Your Numbers!, run by the charity Blood Pressure UK, encourage workplaces, among other settings, to set up mobile blood pressure testing stations to spread awareness and knowledge of hypertension and how to bring down blood pressure through improved diet, exercise and weight loss.
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Of the latest data, Chris Shine from the ONS’s analytical hub, said: “Our analysis found that while the prevalence of hypertension increased with age and other known risk factors such as high BMI [body mass index] and poor general health, there are considerable numbers of younger, healthier people who are undiagnosed.
“This analysis will provide valuable insight for health services and those who work to improve health outcomes. It may also raise awareness among the general population, leading to more timely diagnoses in the future,” he added.
