Common symptoms
- Usually silent
- Occasional headaches
- Blurred vision (when severe)
- Nosebleeds (rare)
Common causes
- Genetics and family history
- Age — prevalence doubles after 50
- Salt-heavy diet, sedentary lifestyle
- Chronic stress and poor sleep
Hypertension is the most common, most treatable, and most ignored cardiovascular condition. Two in five European adults meet diagnostic criteria, and roughly half do not know they do.
Why it matters
Sustained elevations remodel the heart and arteries silently. By the time symptoms arrive, the cost of treatment has risen by an order of magnitude.
Diagnosis
Two separate office readings above 135/85, or consistent home monitoring above 130/80. We always verify with a 24-hour ambulatory cuff.
Treatment overview
Stepwise: lifestyle changes (proven to move 5–8 mmHg), then first-line medication (usually an ACE inhibitor or ARB), titrated at 4-week intervals.
When to book
Anyone over 40, anyone with a parent or sibling with CAD, anyone who has ever had a borderline reading — book a 30-minute preventive consult.