Bexhill dad urging us to check blood pressure after surviving stroke
Michael O'Dell's blood pressure was 190 over 110 when he was rushed to hospital in 2023
A Sussex man who had a stroke after his blood pressure unexpectedly soared is warning others to check theirs regularly.
Michael O’Dell realised what had happened when he tried to pull his duvet over his head one morning and found he could not move his arm.
After being rushed to Eastbourne District General Hospital, he was told that his blood pressure was 190 over 110.
Since, he's experienced weakness in his left shoulder, as well as partial paralysis and a tingling sensation in his lower left leg.
He'd previously been diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure - but said he "had no idea it had jumped that much."
"I used to check it once a week.
Last year I stopped checking, I don’t know why.
It never got to a level which concerned me at all which is probably why I stopped.
The doctors weren’t able to explain why it had risen.
“My prescription has now changed significantly.
"Everybody I meet now I tell them that. It doesn’t matter how old you are, just check your blood pressure.
Now I check it twice a day, which I probably don’t need to, but I do it for reassurance."
Findings from the leading stroke support charity show that 36% of people who have experience of, and therefore a connection, to stroke don’t know that high blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for the condition.
In addition, the Stroke Association has found that awareness levels are even lower amongst people who don’t have such a connection to stroke, with 43% not knowing that high blood pressure is the leading risk factor for stroke.
There are 1.4 million people in the UK who are survivors of stroke and someone has a stroke every five minutes, with high blood pressure accounting for around half of those.
Stroke survivors are frequently left with physical and mental disabilities including paralysis, problems with vision, difficulties swallowing and a struggle to communicate.