Over Half of Women Aged 40-59 Never Check Blood Pressure, Despite Heart Risks – Etos Study

Health tracking is more popular than ever, but blood pressure monitoring lags far behind. A striking 94% of Dutch women know high blood pressure elevates risks of heart failure, stroke, or heart attack. Yet, more than half of women aged 40-59 report never measuring theirs. This comes from Etos research surveying over 3,000 Dutch women. "Blood pressure checks should be an annual routine for women over 40," says Prof. Hester den Ruijter, cardiovascular disease expert in women at UMC Utrecht. "It's heartening that 80% of women actively monitor their health—gaining insight into blood pressure is essential."

Cardiovascular diseases are the top killer of women in the Netherlands. One in three Dutch adults aged 30-70 has high blood pressure, boosting cardiovascular risks. Remarkably, two in three women with a family history of heart disease never check at home.

Self-Monitoring Health Indicators Gains Popularity

80% of respondents track at least one health metric weekly, like steps, intense exercise minutes, heart rate, calories burned, or sleep quality. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened focus: nearly 30% report greater interest in health monitoring since it began.

• 50% of women track health daily via smartphone.
• 64% log sports like running, swimming, or cycling weekly. 50% weigh weekly, 50% track steps, and 41% monitor sleep at least weekly.
• Half (51%) see activity trackers, smartwatches, and apps as valuable for a healthier society.
• 53% find hitting goals like 10,000 steps motivating and positive.

Blood Pressure Knowledge Falls Short

The study reveals gaps in understanding: 56% wrongly believe "blood pressure means faster heartbeats," and 69% think "healthy blood pressure differs between sexes." 72% assume high blood pressure always causes symptoms—it often doesn't. Unchecked, it silently damages vessels and heart.

Women's Heart Symptoms Harder to Spot

"High blood pressure is usually symptomless—even with healthy eating and exercise," notes Prof. den Ruijter. "Start home checks yearly from age 40. It's manageable with lifestyle or meds, but long-term heart and vessel damage can be irreversible."

Internist Jeanine Roeters van Lennep (Erasmus MC) adds: "Chest pain is a classic alert, especially radiating to arms. But women often face subtler signs like shoulder blade pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or vomiting. Women with pregnancy-related hypertension face 4x higher lifetime risk—stay vigilant."