Susan Lightfoot was in the best shape of her life, so she was surprised to discover she had high blood pressure.
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Ms Lightfoot, 41, had her blood pressure checked through a free Hunter Medical Research Institute [HMRI] program.
Ironically, she was helping HMRI do the blood pressure checks.
HMRI has been conducting free blood pressure tests since May. The project runs until the end of July.
"I was trying to show some of the other researchers how to take people's blood pressure, so I let one practise on me," said Ms Lightfoot, of Croudace Bay.
When it showed a high reading, she thought "that's a bit ordinary".
"I checked it again a week later at the hospital. It was still up, so I went to my GP. She booked me in for 24-hour blood pressure monitoring," she said.
Her result was an average of 143/94.
"I was diagnosed hypertensive, so she popped me on some meds."
Her GP prescribed low-dose blood pressure medication and "asked me to return in three to six months for a follow-up".
Ms Lightfoot works two jobs, including shift work, as a research nurse and midwife.
"I train five to six days a week at 5am at an F45 class. I'm the fittest and healthiest I've ever been in my life."
It has been a stressful year, with her mum Mia needing to go into a care home due to Alzheimer's disease.
Ms Lightfoot had a blood test, showing her cholesterol was high too.
"So I've also been put on cholesterol medication," she said.
Ms Lightfoot lost 30 kilograms five years ago and maintained the weight loss through exercise, diet and reducing alcohol.
"I'd had kids and the weight piled on," she said.
A busy work schedule and spending most afternoons "running around after kids" took its toll.
"I was putting anything but my health and myself first. Something had to give," she said.
"I made a commitment to train. It's not a chore for me, I love it."
She used to have high cholesterol linked to a poor diet.
"Now, interestingly the cholesterol that's up is the family/hereditary one. The diet one is perfect," she said.
Long-term poorly controlled blood pressure puts people at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney damage.
"I will probably be on medication for the rest of my life, but it's a low dose and will lower my risk of developing long-term cardiovascular disease," Ms Lightfoot said.
She said her experience was "a perfect indicator that people could go years without knowing they had high blood pressure, if they're well and healthy and think they're OK".
"Potentially you can be that silent bomb."
HMRI's public engagement lead Carol Duncan said "taking five minutes to have your blood pressure checked could save your life".
"One in three Australian adults have high blood pressure, but only half of them know they have it," Ms Duncan said.
Email carol.duncan@hmri.org.au, if you'd like the HMRI team to visit your workplace for blood pressure checks.
