Manage Your Blood Pressure

What causes high blood pressure?

Did you know that you can have high blood pressure and not know it? High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. That's why it's called the "silent killer." About 90-95% of the cases of high blood pressure have no known cause. But some factors increase your chances of developing this disease. These are called risk factors.

Risk factors you can control

• Obesity - People with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher are more likely to develop high blood pressure
• Eating too much salt - This increases blood pressure in some people
• Alcohol - Heavy and regular use of alcohol can increase blood pressure dramatically
• Lack of exercise - An inactive lifestyle makes it easier to become overweight and increases the chance of high blood pressure.

Risk factors you can't control

• Race - African Americans develop high blood pressure more often than Caucasians do, and it tends to occur earlier and be more severe.
• Heredity - A tendency to have high blood pressure runs in families.
• Age - In general, the older you get, the greater your chance of developing high blood pressure. It occurs most often in people over age 35

Can you tell when your blood pressure is high?

No, definitely not. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. In fact, many people have it for years without knowing it. That's why it's so dangerous. The only way to find out if you have this disease is to have your blood pressure measured. Your doctor or another health professional can check it for you.

What can be done about high blood pressure?

Most treatments for high blood pressure rely on some combination of losing weight, diet, regular physical activity and medication. Here's a brief description of each option:

DIET

Your physician and other qualified health professionals (registered dietitians, nurses, physician's assistants, etc.) can help you start or follow a diet that will help to reduce blood pressure and control weight. It will include eating more fruits and vegetables, whole-grain cereals, rice and bread, and less fried food and fatty meat. Sometimes eating less sodium can help lower blood pressure. If this might help you, your doctor will recommend a low-salt diet.

WEIGHT REDUCTION

Many people with high blood pressure are also overweight. If that's true of you, your doctor can prescribe a diet for you. Often when people lose weight, their blood pressure drops automatically. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. By losing weight you'll help your blood pressure and help yourself stay healthy in other ways, too.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Don't be afraid to be active. Physical activity should be part of your daily program. It helps to reduce blood pressure and it can even help you lose weight or stay at your best weight. Your doctor can suggest the best kind of exercise program for you.

How can you help yourself?

It takes a team to treat your high blood pressure successfully. Your doctor can't do it alone, and neither can you. You've got to work together. Even so, you can do more than anyone else to bring your blood pressure under control-and keep it there.

YOU CAN HELP YOURSELF IF YOU…

• Keep appointments with your doctor. This will help everyone monitor your blood pressure program and make any adjustments to keep your blood pressure under control
• Follow medical advice about diet and physical activity. Make an effort to lose weight if it's recommended. Make changes in your general health habits if you need to
• Remind yourself that as long as you and your team of health advisors work together, you can control your blood pressure

High blood pressure is a lifelong disease. It can be controlled but not cured. Once you begin to manage it and start a treatment program, maintaining a lower blood pressure is easier. By controlling your high blood pressure, you'll lower your risk of diseases like stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. You can do it!



This insert is reproduced with permission from the American Heart Association^®.
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