High blood pressure is no joke Published May 17, 2007 By David Hey, Ph.D. 319th Aeromedical Dental Squadron GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- High blood pressure substantially raises a person's risk for heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. Luckily, high blood pressure can easily be controlled through a combination of good nutrition, healthy lifestyle habits and appropriate medication. A healthier, more positive approach to daily life is usually the most effective means of bringing blood pressure under control. A person can usually lower blood pressure by making the following lifestyle changes: · Quit tobacco and avoid second-hand smoke · Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine · Cut down on salt and fats · Exercise regularly · Keep stress under control · Maintain a healthy weight If blood pressure doesn't respond to lifestyle changes alone, your physician may prescribe blood pressure medication. Selecting an appropriate drug or combination of drugs may take several steps. Your healthcare provider may choose from among a number of drugs, including: · Diuretics, which help the body eliminate excess fluid and salt · Beta blockers, which block the effect that adrenaline has on the heart, making it pump more slowly and less forcefully · Calcium channel blockers, which allow arteries to dilate, thus decreasing blood pressure. Blood pressure medications only work properly if taken exactly as prescribed. So follow the instructions, and take your medications at the same time every day. If you're taking blood pressure medication and notice uncomfortable side effects, contact your doctor immediately. If for some reason you stop taking your blood pressure medication without your healthcare provider's consent, a sudden change in the medication schedule can cause your blood pressure to rise to a dangerous level, so it is very important to keep the lines of communication between you and your healthcare provider open. Facts on High Blood Pressure · High blood pressure (hypertension) killed 49,707 Americans in 2002. Because the consequences associated with high blood pressure are so serious, early detection, treatment and control are important. · High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, both leading causes of death in the United States. About 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects about 2 in 5 African Americans, 1 in 5 Hispanics and Native Americans, and 1 in 6 Asians. · What do blood pressure numbers indicate? Blood pressure is often written as two numbers. The top (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart is beating. The bottom (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart is resting between beats. · High blood pressure for adults is defined as a systolic pressure of 140 mmHg or higher, or a diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. · Normal blood pressure is a systolic blood pressure less than 120 and a diastolic blood pressure less than 80. · Prehypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120-139 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure of 80-89 mmHg. Persons with prehypertension are at increased risk to progress to hypertension. · Among people with high blood pressure, 31.6% don't even know they have it. · High blood pressure is easily detectable and usually controllable with lifestyle modifications such as increasing physical activity or reducing dietary salt intake, with or without medications. · The Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-7) recommends that adults have their blood pressure checked regularly. Statistics from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics as published by the American Heart Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2005 Update. Dallas, TX: AHA, 2004. http://www.americanheart.org.