Under Pressure?

I recall my surprise a year or so ago when I called a friend only to learn that he'd had a stroke and was in hospital. He was only about 40. He had to undergo rehabilitation and he was out of circulation for a long time.

I thought of my friend today while reading an article about the incidence of high blood pressure in the UK. Here are some quick facts taken from the article.

High blood pressure is the major cause of death and disability through stroke and heart disease.

About one in three people in the UK have high blood pressure, according to the Blood Pressure Association.

Many people do not know their blood pressure levels. Tests carried out by the Stroke Association showed 26% of people in East Anglia and the Home Counties had not known they had high blood pressure.

In the north-east, only 18% were unaware that they had high blood pressure. In the south-west, the percentage rose to 30%.

Every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke, but over 40% of these strokes could be prevented by controlling high blood pressure.

Each year, about 150,000 people have a stroke in the UK; a quarter of them are under 65.

Many strokes could be prevented if people lowered their blood pressure by stopping smoking, eating less salt and fat, watching one's weight and doing more exercise.

Getting your blood pressure checked could help you avoid becoming a victim of "the silent killer".