Health

Heart Attack and Stroke Risk Soars with This Overlooked Condition—Do You Have It?

Published on May 22, 2025

The National Health Service (NHS) has issued a renewed warning about high blood pressure, or hypertension, identifying six key groups at greater risk of developing the condition and suffering serious health consequences such as heart attacks and strokes.

Hypertension is a common condition that occurs when the force of blood against the artery walls is consistently too high. Arteries, the blood vessels responsible for transporting blood from the heart throughout the body, require a certain amount of pressure to function effectively. However, when this pressure is excessive, it can cause long-term damage and increase the likelihood of cardiovascular complications.

According to the NHS, high blood pressure is usually diagnosed when readings are consistently over 140/90 mmHg. If left unmanaged, it can lead to life-threatening events, including strokes, heart attacks, arterial thrombosis, and conditions such as abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), kidney disease, and vascular dementia.

Six Medical Risk Groups

The NHS highlights six groups of individuals who may be more susceptible to developing hypertension:

Those with kidney disease
People living with diabetes
Individuals with hormonal conditions like Cushing’s syndrome
People suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea
Those taking certain herbal remedies
People on medications like oral contraceptives

“If you’re worried that your medication is affecting your blood pressure, speak to a healthcare professional,” the NHS advises.

Lifestyle and Demographic Risk Factors

Beyond medical conditions, various lifestyle and demographic factors also heighten the risk of high blood pressure. These include:

Eating a high-fat or high-salt diet
Lack of regular exercise
Being overweight or obese
Smoking
Drinking excessive alcohol
Chronic stress
Use of recreational drugs
Older age
Having a family history of high blood pressure
Being of Afro-Caribbean or South Asian origin

Symptoms and Warning Signs

Hypertension is often referred to as a “silent killer” because it frequently presents no symptoms. However, in rare instances, individuals may experience:

Headaches
Blurred or double vision
Regular nosebleeds
Shortness of breath

NHS Recommendations for Prevention

To reduce the risk or manage high blood pressure, the NHS urges individuals to:

Engage in regular physical activity
Limit alcohol consumption
Follow a healthy, low-fat diet
Reduce salt and caffeine intake
Maintain a healthy weight
Explore relaxation therapies such as yoga and meditation
Avoid recreational drugs

The NHS emphasizes the importance of routine blood pressure checks, particularly for those in high-risk categories, to prevent serious health complications and improve long-term wellbeing.