Life Line Screening has offered a feature related to high blood pressure every month for the past year for many good reasons. Reason one: One-third of American adults have high blood pressure. Reason two: High blood pressure plays a role in many of our nation's most common and serious diseases, including heart disease and stroke. And reason three: Many of our clients come to Life Line Screening for evaluations concerning conditions that may be caused in part by high blood pressure, like stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and peripheral arterial disease.
But perhaps the most important reason to talk about blood pressure is this one: The condition is preventable. And if you do develop high blood pressure, you and your doctor can treat it with lifestyle changes and medications.
We'll keep bringing more news about high blood pressure to you in the coming year. But if you missed any of our past features, here's a recap of the highlights:
- If you have high blood pressure - or a problem called prehypertension, which raises your risk of high blood pressure - ask your doctor how often you should come in to have your blood pressure checked. Also discuss if you should be tracking changes in your blood pressure with a measuring device at home.
- If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important changes you can make to treat high blood pressure. Support from friends and family, nicotine replacement therapy, and prescription medications can improve your chances of success.
- Regular aerobic exercise is also a valuable method for controlling blood pressure. Health experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week - but talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program if you have high blood pressure or a condition related to it, especially if you've been sedentary for awhile.
- Another step you can take on your own to help bring high blood pressure under control is to lose excess weight. Even losing 10 pounds can make a difference in your blood pressure. Rather than going on a crash diet, make slow and steady changes by cutting back on eating and gradually getting more physical activity.
- A nutritious diet can also help you tame high blood pressure. National health experts recommend a diet that's low in processed foods - like canned soups, bacon, and frozen pizzas - and high in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meat. Processed foods are a major source of sodium in Americans' diet, and focusing on fresh plant foods will naturally trim out some of this sodium.
- Many people who take blood pressure medication need to take more than one to control the condition. A number of different blood pressure drugs are available that work in different ways. If your doctor recommends blood pressure medicines and you have any concerns that you won't be able to stick with the regimen, speak up. If you do need more than one drug, your doctor may be able to prescribe a combination in the same pill rather than separate pills. This may make your medication schedule easier to follow.
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