The number of adults aged 30-79 living with hypertension or high blood pressure globally, has doubled from 650 million to 1.28 billion since 1990. That’s according to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, which also found that about 50% of people are unaware that they suffer with the condition, even though it can be detected with a simple at-home blood pressure test.

Driving home the importance of getting tested, the World Health Organization advises that anyone with a reading of 140/90 or higher, likely has high blood pressure.

If you haven’t had test for hypertension done recently- let this be your reminder to take one as soon as you can, as early detection helps us to take the steps needed to effectively treat this condition which, if ignored for years, can lead to death by heart attack, aneuryism or heart failure.

In the meantime, it’s also important to know the risks, so you can get a head start on implementing preventative lifestyle practices:

• Stress. High levels of stress can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. Stress-related habits such as eating more, using tobacco or drinking alcohol can lead to further increases in blood pressure.

• Being severely overweight or obese. The more you weigh, the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. As the amount of blood flow through your blood vessels increases, so does the pressure on your artery walls.

• Not being physically active. People who are inactive tend to have higher heart rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must work with each contraction and the stronger the force on your arteries.

If you suffer with hypertension and don’t regularly see your doctor, a free blood pressure screening at your local health centre is another option. You can also find machines in some stores that will measure your blood pressure for free.