Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension) affects around one in four adults in the UK and is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Most people have no symptoms and are diagnosed incidentally on a routine reading. If you have been told your blood pressure is raised — or if you are already on medication but not reaching your target — a specialist assessment can identify why and create a clear, personalised treatment plan.
What it is
Hypertension is defined as a clinic BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, confirmed by ambulatory or home monitoring with a daytime average ≥ 135/85. Around 90% of cases are primary (essential) hypertension; the rest are secondary to renal disease, endocrine causes (Conn's, Cushing's, phaeochromocytoma), obstructive sleep apnoea or medication. A focused private review identifies which group you are in.
Symptoms and signs
- Hypertension is usually silent — the diagnosis is almost always made on a screening reading.
- Headaches, dizziness or blurred vision in very severe (≥ 180/110) cases.
- Persistent unexplained tiredness, breathlessness on exertion or new ankle swelling can reflect end-organ involvement.
- Episodic palpitations, sweating, anxiety attacks with hypertension may suggest a secondary cause.
- Snoring with daytime sleepiness can indicate untreated obstructive sleep apnoea driving treatment-resistant hypertension.
How we investigate
24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is the diagnostic gold standard and we fit it routinely. Workup includes urinalysis, U&E, lipids, HbA1c, ECG, and where indicated renin/aldosterone, plasma metanephrines, thyroid function and renal artery imaging. Echocardiogram to assess left ventricular hypertrophy in established or severe hypertension.
Treatment options at The Vesey
- Lifestyle intervention with structured follow-up — DASH-style nutrition, alcohol reduction, weight management, exercise prescription.
- First-line pharmacotherapy — ACE inhibitor or ARB, calcium channel blocker, thiazide-like diuretic, selected by age, ethnicity and comorbidity.
- Treatment-resistant hypertension workup — secondary-cause screen, spironolactone fourth-line therapy, sleep study referral.
- Cardiovascular risk reduction package — statin where indicated by Q-Risk, structured smoking-cessation support, diabetes screening.
- Long-term review — every 3–6 months with home BP averages and follow-up bloods.
My GP reading was high but I feel fine — do I need to see a specialist? +
A single elevated clinic reading is not diagnostic. You need ambulatory or home monitoring to confirm sustained hypertension. A specialist review is warranted if clinic readings are repeatedly ≥ 140/90, if you are under 40 with raised BP, or if your GP has found end-organ changes.
Will I have to take medication for life? +
Not necessarily. Hypertension driven by lifestyle factors (weight, alcohol, diet, sleep apnoea) can be reversed with structured intervention. Secondary hypertension, if identified and treated, is often curable. For essential hypertension, most patients do need long-term medication, but the correct dose and agent can often be reduced over time.
What is white-coat hypertension? +
White-coat hypertension is a consistently elevated clinic reading that normalises on ambulatory or home monitoring. It is not trivial — it carries a higher risk of future sustained hypertension — but it does not need immediate medication. Our cardiologists routinely fit 24-hour monitors to distinguish it from true hypertension.
What investigations will I have at my first appointment? +
Your first visit includes a 12-lead ECG, urinalysis and blood tests (U&E, cholesterol, glucose, HbA1c), and fitting of a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor. If a secondary cause is suspected, a further panel of bloods and imaging is arranged at the same visit.
Pricing at a glance
Initial consultant cardiology consultation £260 (12-lead ECG £50). 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor from £190. Secondary-hypertension screen from £290. Echocardiogram from £320. Repeat reviews £190. Insurance accepted: BUPA, Vitality, AXA, WPA, Cigna, Aviva, Healix.
Book an appointment
When to see a specialist
Book if you have a single high reading that has not been followed up, if your current treatment is not bringing you to target, if you cannot tolerate side effects, or if you suspect a secondary cause (young, severe, sudden-onset or treatment-resistant).
Cost and pathway
Initial consultant cardiology consultation £260 (12-lead ECG £50). 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor from £190. Secondary-hypertension screen from £290. Echocardiogram from £320. Repeat reviews £190.
- Open 7 days including Sundays — 8am to 8pm, no weekend surcharge
- No GP referral required — book directly with our consultant cardiology team
- Sutton Coldfield location — serving Birmingham, Walsall, Tamworth, Lichfield and the West Midlands
- CQC-regulated — rated 4.88/5 on Doctify from 700+ verified reviews
View our cardiology services →
Sutton Coldfield · Birmingham · Walsall · Tamworth · Lichfield · West Midlands · Open 7 days 8am–8pm
Open 7 days · 8am–8pm · 0121 387 3727