But even if you feel healthy, high blood pressure is damaging your blood vessels and you need to get treatment. It’s really important to know that you might have high blood pressure and feel fine, because there aren’t usually any symptoms. But lots of people also need to take medication to treat high blood pressure and reduce the risk complications. There’s lots you can do yourself to help manage your blood pressure – because your lifestyle has a direct impact. It also puts you more at risk of developing all types of diabetes complications, like serious problems with your feet, your eyes and your kidneys. And you’re more at risk of having a heart attack or stroke. This can make it harder for blood to flow around the body and reach all the vital areas it needs to, like your heart. This is because it puts a strain on your blood vessels and can damage them. If your blood pressure is high (called hypertension), you’ll need treatment to bring it down. This check is part of your annual review.
If you have diabetes, you need your blood pressure checked by a healthcare professional at least once a year. So it's important to know how to look after your blood pressure. People with diabetes and high blood pressure are more at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
