Get your blood pressure under control in months with the help of expert advice

High blood pressure is a risk factor for other conditions, including strokes, heart attacks and vascular dementia

Research has shown that the Irish population is among the least likely to have been diagnosed with hypertension or to have it under control with medication

How high is your blood pressure? When it comes to hypertension, Ireland is regularly found to have among the worst readings of developed nations. Results of one global study involving 525,000 people aged 40-80 from 12 high-income countries published in the Lancet medical journal three years ago found that 56% of Irish men and 43% Irish women had high blood pressure — among the worst of the nations surveyed.

Despite the concerning statistics, the researchers also highlighted the fact that the Irish population was among the least likely to have been diagnosed with hypertension or to have it under control with medication. Labelled a ‘silent killer’, hypertension has few symptoms and takes hold insidiously, and the fact that it so often strikes with 'no clues' means that many are unaware of the risk before it’s too late.