Everyone knows someone who suffers with high blood pressure. Labeled the “silent killer,” high blood pressure often exhibits no warning signs or symptoms. For that reason, it is very important for people to get their blood pressure checked on a regular basis, according to Teresa Henson.
Henson is an Extension specialist – nutrition outreach coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
May is National High Blood Pressure month. The observance will bring awareness about the impact of hypertension on individuals and communities and aim to reduce death and disability related to high blood pressure through direct and indirect education, Henson said.
There are 68 million people in the United States who have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)
People who have hypertension increase their chances for heart disease and stroke, making it is the first and third leading cause of death in United States, Henson said.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“The CDC also recognizes women as more likely than men to develop high blood pressure and reports that it is more prevalent among blacks than whites,” Henson said. “Forty-four percent of black women have high blood pressure and 28 percent of all adults 18 years or older have prehypertension.”
High salt intake is a contributing factor to high blood pressure. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium each day.
“There are some groups, however, who should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day,” Henson said.
Those groups include: individuals 51 years of age or older, African Americans, individuals who have high blood pressure, individuals who have diabetes, individuals who have chronic kidney disease.
People need to understand how blood pressure readings are read, Henson said. There are two number readings that are especially important.
The Systolic (top) number represents the pressure when the heart beats and Diastolic (bottom) number represents the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
An American Heart Association chart shows the category and number readings for blood pressure at https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings .
People can be proactive and maintain a healthy blood pressure by adhering to the following:
• Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
• Maintain a normal body weight (body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-24.9. To calculate BMI, go to https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html .
• Get physically active (walking, cycling, strength training, jogging or running).
• Consume a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low sodium. Limit the amount of processed foods.
• Stop smoking.
• Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation (no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women).
• If you have high blood pressure and take medication(s), take the medication as directed.
• Consult a physician with any blood pressure concerns.
For more information about high blood pressure go to the American Heart Association website: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure.
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