In recognition of May as “National High Blood Pressure Education Month”, Dr. Marvin Lee, from the Belgrade Regional Health Center reminds you to:

Monitor Your Blood Pressure

Did you know that over 65 million Americans (one in three) have high blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force of blood against the artery walls. Usually, there are no symptoms of high blood pressure, so it is often considered to be a Silent Killer. When the force becomes too high, it leads the heart to work harder, artery walls to thicken, and harden, and clay up with cholesterol plaque. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, poor kidney function, and poor circulation to the legs.

The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. Prehypertension means you do not have high blood pressure now; however, it is likely that you will develop it in the future if you do not make serious lifestyle changes.

The first number in a blood pressure reading is known as the systolic pressure. This is the pressure of the blood in the vessels when the heart is pumping. The second number is the diastolic pressure, the pressure of the blood in the vessels when the heart relaxes and fills with blood.

• Normal blood pressure – below 120/80 mmHg
  
• Prehypertension – between 120-139 mmHg and/or between 80-89 mmHg
  
• High blood pressure – 140/90 mmHg or higher

Why does high blood pressure matter?

• High Blood Pressure can lead to numerous life threatening conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure (the #1, #3, and #9 causes of death in the United States).
  
• High Blood Pressure is the cause of 67% of heart attacks and 77% of strokes in the United States.
  
• High Blood Pressure affects circulation, thereby creating a higher risk for mental deterioration as small vessels in our brains get clogged.
  
• Being over the age of 55 means you have a 90% likelihood that you will develop high blood pressure.

Anyone can develop high blood pressure. However, there are several factors which increase the risk: obesity, physical inactivity, high salt and sodium intake, low potassium intake (due to not eating enough fruits and vegetables), excessive alcohol consumption, and diabetes. In addition, African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure than other racial or ethnic groups and tend to develop it earlier in life.

Lowering your weight just by 10% or even just by 5 – 10 lbs. and decreasing your intake of sodium can greatly reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure as well as lower your blood pressure if you already have high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure can be prevented in many persons:

• Maintain a healthy weight.
  
• Be physically active.
  
• Follow a healthy diet with plenty of lean chicken and meats, fruit and vegetables.
  
• Eat foods with less sodium (salt).
  
• Drink alcohol in moderation (one drink daily for women/ 2 drinks daily for men).
  
• Take prescribed drugs as directed.

Sources:
http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/mission/abouthbp/abouthbp.htm
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2114
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/