ONE in two heart attacks and strokes are linked to high blood pressure, a leading health charity has warned.
Figures show that an estimated 280,00 people - or 15 per cent of the population in Northern Ireland - is living with high blood pressure with around one in eight people unaware they have the condition.
The Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) has launched a new awareness campaign.
Fidelma Carter from the charity said they wanted to highlight "the seriousness of high blood pressure and its link to strokes and heart attacks".
"Undetected high blood pressure is often known as the 'silent killer' due to the fact it rarely causes any physical symptoms or warning signs and is often only discovered after someone suffers a stroke or heart attack," she said.
"The only way to know what your blood pressure is, and if it is high, is to have it measured and that is what we are urging the public to do through our new campaign.
"We want to raise awareness about the seriousness of high blood pressure and its link to strokes and heart attacks.
"We are encouraging people to get their blood pressure checked so they know their blood pressure numbers and, in turn, can take action to reduce their risk of a serious health event by seeking treatment where necessary.
"A blood pressure check is simple and only takes a few minutes, but it really could help save your life."
Blood pressure is a measure of the force the heart uses to pump blood around the body. High blood pressure is not a disease in itself, but it can lead to an increased risk of other serious conditions.
Ms Carter added:
"There are many lifestyle changes we can all make to help reduce our blood pressure and maintain it at a healthy level.
"These changes include maintaining a healthy weight, taking regular exercise and being more active, reducing salt intake, stopping smoking, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and cutting back on the amount of alcohol we drink.
"These changes might sound simple, but they really could help save your life."
The charity is also hosting an online blood pressure advice session on September 27 to give information about preventing, detecting and managing high blood pressure.
For further information, please visit www.nichs.org.uk/highbloodpressure
