High blood pressure (BP) is associated with an increased risk of stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure and also an accelerated decline in both cognitive and renal function. As BP increases, so does the likelihood of these complications. In the UK, hypertension still remains undiagnosed and under treated with less than half of treated hypertensives having optimally controlled BP. A reduction of BP by an average of 12 mmHg systolic and 6 mmHg diastolic can be expected to reduce stroke by 40% and CHD by 20% (relative risk reduction).
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