Hypertension Community Connectors
Approximately 60,000 people in Camden are at risk of hypertension or high blood pressure, which can lead to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, vascular dementia, and sight problems. However, only 24,000 are diagnosed.
Healthwatch Camden are collaborating with the North Central London ICB and the North Central London Healthwatch network to recruit community connectors to raise awareness of high blood pressure in Camden, encourage more people to get their blood pressure measured, and pursue a healthier lifestyle.
Hypertension is found to be more common in older people, those from certain ethnic backgrounds, and in people with a family history of high blood pressure. It can also be caused by:
- diet (e.g. eating lots of salty and processed foods)
- lifestyle (alcohol and tobacco consumption)
- being overweight
- not doing enough exercise