Eight-Minute Scan Could Eliminate Painful Spinal Taps for MS Diagnosis

When MorvenLean went to see her doctor at age 24 in 2015 for a routine check-up regarding birth control pills, little did she anticipate being hospitalized just days before embarking on her trip to South America.

However, a subsequent phone call from her general practitioner ruined her plans.

Pressured into having another blood pressure test, she was quickly taken to the emergency department and admitted due to extremely elevated readings.

Despite coming off the pill, her readings remained dangerously elevated, and she was diagnosed with essential hypertension – where no specific cause is identified. With no family history of the condition, it came as a shock for the now 34-year-old mother-of-two, pictured left.

I was very young and extremely fit, consistently winning half marathons," states Morven. "Each physician I consulted told me, ‘You’re not our typical patient.’

A charity employee named Morven received a prescription for ramipril, an ACE inhibitor, and was encouraged to keep up with her exercise routine, maintain a healthy diet, and regularly check her blood pressure.

In 2021, as she was attempting to conceive, she stopped taking the medication and chose to follow the DASH diet—a low-sodium regimen aimed at reducing blood pressure.

It includes steering clear of dairy products, red meats, and sugars. Soon after making these changes, her readings improved significantly, and she discontinued using ramipril permanently.

In 2023, she was given the beta-blocker labetalol during labor because her blood pressure had risen once more.

I might have overlooked my high blood pressure," she states. "You can get a blood pressure monitor for just £20, and these devices could genuinely be lifesavers.

Read more