There is a good reason most health care provider visits start with a blood pressure check. Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure, and many do not know it. For that reason, Aspirus health experts encourage people to stay on top of their health and make their routine visits to their provider.
“High blood pressure doesn’t always cause obvious symptoms,” said Walter Dowling, PA-C, certified physician assistant for Aspirus Health. “Untreated high blood pressure is dangerous. It raises your risk of a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and vision loss. But once it is detected, it can be controlled.”
Dowling offers the following facts about this widespread condition:
Blood pressure is measured in two numbers (such as 112/78 mm Hg). The top (systolic) number is the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom (diastolic) number is the pressure when your heart rests between beats.
Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. Elevated blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 120-129 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80. High blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 130 or higher or a diastolic pressure of 80 or higher that stays high over time.
Family history and race are risk factors. If your parents or a close blood relative had high blood pressure, you're more likely to get it too. And African Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more than any other racial group in the U.S.
Your lifestyle choices matter. For instance, an unhealthy diet (especially one that's high in sodium) can make blood pressure creep up. So can being inactive, overweight, or drinking alcohol. “The good news is healthy habits can help prevent high blood pressure,” Dowling said. And they can bring it down when it's high.
Medicine may also be a part of treatment. If your provider wants you to take blood pressure medicine, use it exactly as prescribed. Taking a pill every other day or splitting it in two to make the medicine last longer is risky. And remember: High blood pressure medicine is never a substitute for healthy habits.
For more information, check out 9 ways to take charge of your blood pressure, located on the Aspirus website