A new drive to improve the detection of high blood pressure was launched today in the hope of saving the NHS billions in treatment of diseases such as stroke.
More than five million people do not realise they have high blood pressure, according to Public Health England.
The agency says the UK should match the success of the USA and Canada in reducing levels of blood pressure.
According to a study conducted for the agency, diseases caused by high blood pressure cost the NHS more than £2 billion a year and are responsible for 12% of all visits to GPs.
A new group set up to tackle the problem includes the Royal College of GPs, the British Heart Foundation and the Local Government Association.
The English national clinical director for heart disease Professor Huon Gray said: “Over half of all strokes and many heart attacks could be prevented by ensuring people take steps to get their blood pressure into the normal range, but, unfortunately, high blood pressure often goes unrecognised.
"It’s essential that everyone has their blood pressure checked regularly and by taking simple steps like cutting some salt from the diet, or taking more exercise, high blood pressure can be reduced. Left untreated high blood pressure can lead to disability, or even death.”
The project was welcomed by the president of the Association of Directors of Public Health Dr Janet Atherton.
She said: "Population prevention measures – such as reducing salt in the diet and tackling obesogenic environments – alongside better early detection and treatment, will mean that rapid improvements in the public’s health can be achieved, together with significant savings to a hard-pressed health and social care system.”
The medical director of the British Heart Foundation Professor Peter Weissberg said: "There are millions of people walking around with this ticking time bomb, unaware that they are at increased risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.
“It is simply unacceptable that so many avoidable heart attacks and strokes are occurring when the solution is so simple."
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