Blood pressure: The silent killer and how to avoid it

HIGH blood pressure can cause a host of serious, and potentially fatal, problems, but often without any obvious symptoms, hence it’s dubbed a ’silent killer’.

The condition, also known as hypertension, is the biggest known cause of premature death and disability in Ireland, due to the strokes, heart attacks and heart disease it can cause, and is also a risk factor for kidney disease and dementia.

Contrary to popular belief, raised blood pressure is usually symptomless.