May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against your main blood vessels when the heart beats (contracts) and relaxes. A blood pressure reading has two numbers. The top number is known as the systolic blood pressure. This is the blood pressure when the heart beats. The bottom number is known as the diastolic blood pressure. This is the blood pressure when the heart relaxes. A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80.
Who gets High Blood Pressure (HBP)?
The number of people with high blood pressure in the US population is 50 million with another 45 million at risk for getting high blood pressure. This means that for the general public, one in three Americans have high blood pressure. Groups at higher risk for high blood pressure are:
- People aged 55 and over have a 90% chance of developing high blood pressure.
- A family history of high blood pressure makes it more likely to you to develop HBP.
- African Americans have more severe high blood pressure and higher risk of heart attacks than the Caucasian population. Heart disease is also higher in Mexican Americans, American Indians, Native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans.
- Men have a greater risk of heart attacks than women. The attacks also occur at an earlier age than women. However, women are also at risk for heart problems. Heart disease kills as many women each year as the next top 16 causes of death including breast cancer combined.
Many people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms and don’t even know they have it. It can cause serious illness if not treated. This is why it is often called the “Silent Killer”.
High blood pressure is the most common reason for Doctor’s office visits than any other chronic health problem. It increases your chance of:
- Heart attacks.
- Heart failure.
- Stroke.
- Kidney failure.
- Poor blood circulation
What you can do to prevent or control your blood pressure:
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
- Increase your physical activity.
- Keep control of your chronic diseases such as Diabetes
- Make good choices and eat healthy meals which are low in fat, cholesterol and salt.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- No smoking
- Have regular check ups with your doctor. Take your medicines as prescribed. Ask questions if you don’t understand or have concerns.
· Know your numbers !
Resources: American Heart Association www.americanheart.org
National Lung, Heart and Blood Institute www.nhbli.nih.gov
