What is high blood pressure?
This means the pressure in your blood vessels is too high. This is dangerous. High blood pressure can cause stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. Most people cannot feel when their blood pressure is high.
How did I get it?
High blood pressure runs in the family. You are more likely to get it if you are overweight or obese, don’t get enough exercise, smoke or drink too much alcohol.
How do I take control?
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov
- Causes almost 1,000 deaths a day
- Leads to stroke, heart attack and coronary artery disease
- Second-leading cause of death in the U.S.
- Four-fold increase of death from stroke
- Three times higher chance of death from heart disease
The Silent Killer
Blood pressure is called “the silent killer” because it rarely has symptoms. Get your blood pressure checked regularly so you are aware of your numbers.
Avoid Complications
By managing your high blood pressure, you can prevent many of these conditions:
- Stroke
- Vision loss
- Heart failure
- Erectile dysfunction
- Heart attack
- Kidney disease/failure
Making Sense of Your Numbers
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats.
