According to researchers, people who rarely suffer from high blood pressure are more at risk of a stroke than those with consistently high readings.

Present guidelines focus on the need to reduce blood pressure levels in order to lower the odds of suffering a stroke.

The study recommends that if doctors see an occasional high reading, it should not be ignored, and appropriate drugs that stabilizes blood pressure levels, should be given.

The Stroke Association wants the national guidelines to be revamped.

Professor Peter Rothwell, Study Leader, said, "What we're saying is, don't discount that one-off high blood pressure reading."

The findings revealed that people with fluctuating readings at different GP visits had the maximum risk of potential strokes in spite of what their normal blood pressure reading was.

Joe Korner, Director of Communications at The Stroke Association, said that people who have occasional high blood pressure readings, known as episodic hypertension are often not treated.

"With this new research it is now important that the clinical guidelines about treating high blood pressure are reviewed. In the meantime we urge GPs to read this research to help them prescribe the best treatment for people at risk of stroke".