Do you know your numbers?

These days the average person has to remember lots of different numbers. But according to research by the Blood Pressure Association (BPA), three quarters of adults in this country don't know what are arguably the most important numbers where their health is concerned - that is, their blood pressure numbers.

And since one in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure, that means many are taking an unnecessary gamble with their health, as uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke and heart attack. More than five million have high blood pressure but don't know it. No wonder they call it the silent killer.

Know Your Numbers Week, which is organised by the BPA, has given millions of people the chance to have their blood pressure tested since the awareness campaign began back in 2001.

This year, as in other years, there will be free blood pressure checks running at venues across the UK - many pharmacies will also be joining in too, so there's no excuse for you not to take the plunge if you're one of those who still hasn't had their blood pressure tested.

Know Your Numbers facts: 

• 16 million adults in the UK have high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure is the biggest known cause of premature death and disability in the UK due to the strokes, heart attacks and heart disease it causes. It is also a risk factor for kidney disease and dementia.
• People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke and twice as likely to die from these diseases as people with normal blood pressure.
• Someone in the UK has a preventable stroke or heart attack every four minutes (that's the equivalent of 125,000 adults having a heart attack or stroke in which high blood pressure is a key factor each year).
• High-risk groups include those over the age of 55, people of African Caribbean descent, and people of South Asian origin.

For more information on blood pressure as well as what's happening during Know Your Numbers week, visit www.bpassoc.org.uk