The ‘silent killer’ 33 million people in the UK might have – but have no idea
MORE than half of Brits have high cholesterol and one in four suffer high blood pressure, a study suggests.
But with both conditions rarely causing symptoms until they progress to something more serious, millions don't know their health is at risk.
Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “Millions of people in the UK are living with undetected high blood pressure and raised cholesterol, which can put them at significant risk of a heart attack or stroke.
"Tackling these treatable silent killers must remain a priority if we are to prevent people suffering or dying needlessly.”
Both conditions can also leave people vulnerable to developing diabetes and dementia, but they may be hard to spot without health checks.
Read more on hypertension and cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in blood which is made by the liver as well as some of the foods you eat.
Your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and hormones, according to the NHS.
Having high cholesterol means you have too much of the fatty substance in your blood.
While eating too much , smoking and not exercising enough can lead to a buildup of cholesterol - clogging your arteries and making you more vulnerable to heart problems or a stroke - the condition can also be inherited.
As for high blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, drinking too much booze, eating too much salt and being overweight can all increase your risk.
You're also more likely to develop the condition, which strains the blood vessels, heart and other organs, if you're over the age of 65, according to the (BHF).
Among volunteers, high cholesterol was mostly identified in people aged 50 to 59 and affected more women - 62 per cent of them compared to 46 per cent of men.
But older volunteers were more likely to have high blood pressure, with 46 per cent of cases spotted in people over 80.
The condition also affected over a third (34 per cent ) of the men taking part, compared to 22 per cent of women.
Those with abnormal cholesterol and blood pressure readings were advised to visit a GP or pharmacist for further advice and treatment.
With Our Future Health aiming to recruit up to five million volunteers to create a detailed picture of the nation’s health, GP Dr Andrea Mottram said it gave participants the opportunity to identify silent killer conditions before “it’s too late”.
Meanwhile, Miriam Clark - 66-year-old retired teacher whose extremely high blood pressure was spotted through the programme - said: “The results of my appointment have changed my lifestyle – maybe they’ve even saved my life.
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Our Future Health is also collaborating with the NHS to send invitation letters to people living near clinics being rolled out across the UK on a region-by-region basis.
Each clinic appointment involves having a blood sample and physical measurements taken, to glean volunteers' blood pressure and cholesterol readings as well as further information about their health.