PREVENTION.

Not all brain haemorrhages can be prevented.

But some can be…

At The Natalie Kate Moss Trust we aim to Prevent the Preventable.

But what does that mean…?

We firmly believe that we can prevent more, potentially preventable, tragedies from occurring through educating and empowering more people to better understand why brain haemorrhages happen so that they can take back control of their own health.

Read below to find out how to prevent brain haemorrhages.

Checking your blood pressure is very straight forward and only requires a simple 40 second test.

Here are some things to remember when having your blood pressure checked:

Check your blood pressure in a calm environment in which you feel relaxed.

Avoid having caffeine, alcohol or taking part in exercise before testing.

Keep still and quiet while you take your reading; Moving, chewing, talking and laughing can affect your reading.

Make sure you don't cross your legs, as this will raise your reading.

Take two or three readings, each about one to two minutes apart. If your first reading is much higher than the next, ignore it and take an extra reading. Once you have two to three readings, you can work out the average. Keep a record of your measurements.

The Importance of Managing Our Blood Pressure.

Whilst there are many causes of Brain Haemorrhages, one of the leading causes - and the one that can be managed the most - is our blood pressure.

High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels in the brain over time and therefore managing your blood pressure is immensely important to avoid risking such damage.

If there is any damage to the vessels in the brain (whether due to blood pressure or otherwise), or if an individual has any abnormalities within the blood vessels (e.g. an Aneurysm or AVM etc), they are more susceptible to a bleed and therefore if there is a large amount of pressure going into those vessels there is more likely to be a bleed.

On average a third of the population has high blood pressure, but 50% of those people are undiagnosed (Source: Stroke UK) and therefore at risk of a brain haemorrhage. If we can individually understand, check and manage our blood pressure better, we are able to significantly mitigate the risk of having a bleed on the brain.

Visit your GP

Book an appointment with your GP and ask them to check your blood pressure.

Some GP’s even have a blood pressure monitor in the reception for you to nip in and check your own.

Visit your Local Pharmacy

Most Pharmacy’s offer free blood pressure checks as do Tesco Pharmacy (with over 350 Tesco stores with Pharmacy’s) this is your easiest solution to getting your blood pressure checked, without having to wait for a GP appointment.

Use the TESCO store locator to find your nearest Tesco Pharmacy.

Purchase a Monitor

Blood pressure kits can be bought from most pharmacy’s or online.

Having a blood pressure monitor at home is the best way to consistently monitor and manage your blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure shows no signs or symptoms; therefore the only way to know what your blood pressure is, is to check.

Step 1: Get your blood pressure checked.

Your results will appear as two numbers (e.g. 120/80).

The top number: this higher pressure represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, pumping blood into the arteries: this is called systolic pressure.

The bottom number: the lower pressure represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats. This pressure is called diastolic pressure.

Most doctors agree that the ideal blood pressure for a physically healthy person is around 120/80mmHg. If your reading is higher than this, please: make an appointment with your GP.

Use the chart to check your reading.

Step 2: Know your readings.

FAQs

Place the arm cuff just above your elbow. The cuff should be about 2cm above your elbow to make sure it can detect the artery in your arm, just under the skin.
Blood pressure can be quite variable, even in the same person. Blood pressure goes up and down with different normal daily activities, it can differ from day to night and between seasons. It can also rise when you grow older and if you gain weight. This is why it is important to test more frequently.
It is uncommon for hypertension to disappear by itself. The general rule is that blood pressure gets higher with time and the risk of complications goes up also. Which is why it is important to keep on top of your blood pressure to avoid complications.
Yes! Depending on the individual circumstance, it may be that certain lifestyle changes will support to lower your blood pressure e.g. stopping smoking, reducing salt intake and alcohol intake, losing weight, improving sleep and reducing stress. Otherwise your doctor may advise to medication to lower your blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure or if you are worried at all always speak to your GP.
Unfortunately hypertension usually causes no symptoms, so over time severe damage to your arteries, heart, and brain can occur before the condition is diagnosed. This can happen to anyone of any age, which is why it is important that everyone tests their blood pressure regularly in order to mitigate this risk.
Hypertension affects all ages. In a report from the ONS, they show that the age group 16-35 has the highest percentage of undiagnosed cases of high blood pressure proportionally to the number of cases. Moreover they show that a large percentage of people who have undiagnosed hypertension would self diagnose themselves as being in good health, not be obese or smoke. This is why it is important for everyone to check their blood pressure.
When and how often you take your readings will depend on your blood pressure. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s suitable for you.

It can be useful to monitor your blood pressure closely to begin with, such as every day for a week, then less often but at regular intervals, such as once a week.
When and how often you take your readings will depend on your blood pressure. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s suitable for you.

It can be useful to monitor your blood pressure closely to begin with, such as every day for a week, then less often but at regular intervals, such as once a week.
The top number, the higher pressure, represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, pumping blood into the arteries: this is called systolic pressure.

The bottom number, the lower pressure represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats. This pressure is called diastolic pressure.

Listen to the Prevent The Preventable Podcast

Every year, brain haemorrhages affect millions of people… but they don’t have to, and at The Natalie Kate Moss Trust we’re here to make sure that they don’t. In this podcast, you will learn more about the reality of brain haemorrhages, their causes, how you prevent them and much more. Expect honest, straight forward conversations that will give you the facts you need to take back control of your own health and help you Prevent the Preventable.

Listen Now

If your blood pressure is HIGH

Your blood pressure will go up and down throughout the day depending on many factors, such as your stress levels, if you have just exercised, what you have eaten etc, what you want to check is if it is consistently high.

Remember that a blood pressure test is a ‘snap shot’ in time, if your blood pressure is high, test it again over the next few day (when you are more relaxed)for a more accurate result; testing frequently gives you a view of your blood pressure over time. If it is consistently too high, or if you have any concerns whatsoever, then please speak with your GP.

Consider how your lifestyle could be affecting your blood pressure and proactively make changes to manage it.

If your blood pressure is NORMAL

Continue to monitor your blood pressure periodically, making it a habit to check it every few months. Review your lifestyle to ensure it is supporting your blood pressure in the long term, look at stress, sleep, diet, alcohol intake etc and prevent high blood pressure before it even happens.

Lifestyle and blood pressure

Lifestyle can be a major contributor to high blood pressure, therefore managing your lifestyle and wellbeing may help to reduce high blood pressure. Poor diet high in salt, little exercise, stress, poor sleep, smoking and alcohol consumption are all key contributors to high blood pressure.

If managing your lifestyle does not help to lower your blood pressure, your doctor may advise for you to go on medication. However, if you do have consistenty high blood pressure, please ensure you always speak to your GP.

Learn more by reading our 6 ways to keep your blood pressure down blog.

Step 3: Manage your blood pressure.

Knowing your blood pressure could potentially protect you against a brain haemorrhage!

Did you know high blood pressure is one of the leading lifestyle-related cause of brain haemorrhages?

But unfortuantely a third of the population has high blood pressure and 50% of those people are undiganosed, because high blood pressure shows no symptoms.

Therefore the only way to check your blood pressure, is to check…

Take control and… potentially Prevent The Preventable.

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