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May is High Blood
Pressure Month |
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High blood pressure: a force to be reckoned with
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. When
that force stays too high, it becomes a life-threatening condition—high
blood pressure (also called hypertension). It makes the heart work too
hard, hardens the walls of arteries, and can cause the brain to
hemorrhage or the kidneys to function poorly or not at all.
A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher is
considered high. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg. |
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Who does high blood pressure impact? |
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More than 65 million American adults — 1
in 3 — have high blood pressure
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Nearly 60 million Americans are over age
55 which means they have a 90 percent likelihood of developing high
blood pressure in their lifetimes.
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African Americans are more likely to
develop high blood pressure than any other racial or ethnic group and
tend to develop it earlier and more severely than others.
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18 million Americans have diabetes which
increases their chances of developing high blood pressure.
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122 million American adults are
overweight or obese which increases their chances of developing high
blood pressure.
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Risky business |
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Anyone can develop high blood pressure. But
these factors increase the risk: being overweight or obese, being
physically inactive, high salt and sodium intake, low potassium intake
(due to not eating enough fruits and vegetables), excessive alcohol
consumption, and diabetes. |
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Why should you care about high blood pressure?
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- High blood pressure can lead to numerous other
life-threatening conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney
failure, the #1, #3, and #9 causes of death in the United States.
- High blood pressure is a factor in 67 percent of
heart attacks in the United States.
- High blood pressure is a factor in 77 percent of
strokes—the #3 cause of death in the United States.
- High blood pressure precedes 74 percent of cases of
heart failure in the United States.
- High blood pressure is the second leading cause of
chronic kidney failure in the United States—responsible for 26 percent
of all cases.
- High blood pressure causes more visits to doctors
than any other condition—just a 10 percent decline in the number of
visits would save $478 million each year.
- High blood pressure affects circulation—creating a
higher risk for mental deterioration and Alzheimer's.
- High blood pressure and its complications cost the
U.S. economy more than $100 billion each year.
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