High Blood Pressure – What You Need to Know
Did you know nearly 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure?
High blood pressure will not go away without treatment such as lifestyle changes or physician prescribed medications.
Blood pressure is the force of blood flow inside your blood vessels. Blood pressure measurement consists of two numbers. The first number is the pressure as your heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels. The second number is the pressure when the vessels relax between heartbeats.
When blood moves through your vessels with too much force you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, eye issues, and kidney disease.
High blood pressure is called a silent killer, meaning you will not know you have high blood pressure unless a healthcare provider checks it. At minimum, you should have your blood pressure checked once a year.
Per the American Heart Association, common hereditary and physical risk factors for high blood pressure include:
- Family history
- Age – The older you are the more likely you are to get high blood pressure.
- Gender – Until age 64, men are more likely to get high blood pressure but after age 65, women
are more likely. - Race – African Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more often than any other
racial background in the U.S. - Chronic Kidney Disease
What can I do to help treat or manage high blood pressure?
- Get regular physical activity
- Limit salt intake
- Lose weight
- Decrease alcohol intake
- Quit smoking and tobacco use
- Manage stress
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