Approximately one in four adults in the UK have high blood pressure, but around 40 per cent will be unaware of this. Blood pressure screening is used to determine whether a person’s blood pressure is raised, as persistently raised arterial blood pressure is associated with an increase in cardiovascular disease risk.

The current standard threshold for hypertension is:

• Systolic blood pressure sustained above or equal to 140mmHg OR
• Diastolic blood pressure sustained above or equal to 90mmHg OR
• Both systolic blood pressure sustained above or equal to 140mmHg and diastolic blood pressure sustained above or equal to 90mmHg.

Each 2mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure is associated with a seven per cent increased risk of mortality from ischaemic heart disease and a 10 per cent increased risk of mortality from stroke. A target clinic blood pressure of below 140/90mmHg in people aged under 80 years and below 150/90mmHg in people aged 80 years and over is recommended.