High blood pressure – a silent killer. Get your numbers checked

Published: 1 May 2026

High blood pressure is quietly putting more than a million New Zealanders at risk of heart disease - and many don’t know it.

Often called the “silent killer”, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the single biggest risk factor behind New Zealand’s leading cause of death - heart disease.

High blood pressure contributes to nearly half of all cardiovascular deaths in New Zealand, around 4,000 lives are lost each year.

One in three Kiwis over 30 has high blood pressure, yet only a quarter or 25% have it under control.

There are approximately 350,000 people in New Zealand living with undiagnosed high blood pressure.

“High blood pressure damages your arteries and can lead to heart attack and stroke,” says Heart Foundation Medical Director, Dr Gerry Devlin. “It rarely has symptoms, which is why so many people don’t realise they have it.”

The good news is that managing it can dramatically reduce your risk and protect your heart.

“For every 10-point drop in your systolic* blood pressure, you reduce your risk of a heart event by 20 per cent. Managing blood pressure is one of the most powerful things you can do for your health.”

The Heart Foundation is running a nationwide blood pressure awareness campaign in the month of May. The aim of the campaign is to encourage New Zealanders to get their blood pressure checked.

Blood pressure checks can be done by a range of health professionals at a GP practice and at many pharmacies. Buying a home blood pressure monitor is also an option.

“We want to encourage New Zealanders to get their checks done, understand what the numbers mean and take charge of their heart health to live a longer, healthier life,” Dr Devlin says.

There are many small, practical actions people can take to prevent and help manage high blood pressure. Exercising more, eating healthier, reducing salt intake, improving sleep, reducing stress, and reducing alcohol all have a positive effect on blood pressure.

The Heart Foundation is offering free blood pressure checks to the public at pop-up events around New Zealand from Sunday 17 May until Sunday 31 May.

For information on pop-up blood pressure events, click on the button below.

Blood pressure checks

You can get more information on managing blood pressure here.

Thanks to our partnership with Green Cross Health, selected UniChem and Life Pharmacies across New Zealand will also be offering blood pressure checks during the month of May. Visit one of their Care & Advice Health Hub locations here.

Editor’s notes

*Your blood pressure measurement is given in two numbers which are written one above the other, for example 120/80. This is said ‘120 over 80’. The top number is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart pumps. This is systolic pressure. The bottom number is when your heart relaxes. This is diastolic pressure. An ideal blood pressure is 120/80, although this may vary depending on your individual circumstances.