Do you know if your blood pressure is high?

London, Nov 13 : Over 50 percent of people with high blood pressure might not be aware of their condition, a new study has found.

Franco Cappuccio of Warwick University Medical School led the team from Britain to participate in a European study examining awareness, treatment and control of high blood pressure, or hypertension, precursor of heart attacks and strokes.

The IMMIDIET study examined 1,604 people from south-west London, Limburg in Belgium and Abruzzo in Italy. All of them underwent a medical examination, including blood pressure (BP) check-up and answered a lifestyle and health questionnaire.

The researchers found 24 percent of participants had high BP and 56 percent of those were not aware of their condition. Of those that were aware, less than half had their high BP under control.

Looking at the differences between regions, researchers found the British participants had lower BP overall and better control than the Italians and Belgians, said a Warwick release.

"Our results show that high blood pressure is a looming problem for Europe. Although in the UK the management of high blood pressure is better as compared to some other countries, in part due to the incentives that GPs receive to achieve blood pressure targets," said Cappuccio.

The research was published in the Journal of Hypertension.