Health Hotline Magazine | November 2019

HYPERTENSION,

THE SILENT EPIDEMIC Rates of hypertension are increasing… do you know your numbers? By Lindsay Wilson It’s called the “silent killer” because it has no symptoms, which leaves many people unaware they have it. Hypertension, i.e., high blood pressure, is a serious and common condition, with the most recent data reporting that nearly half of U.S. adults have it. 1 Hypertension is also becoming increasingly common among young adults and can predict a major cardiovascular event later in life. 2 3 Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease, including heart failure and heart attack. Left untreated, it can also damage delicate blood vessels throughout the body, leading to kidney disease, dementia, vision loss, and sexual dysfunction. 4 While the overall death rate from heart disease has declined over time and deaths from stroke and diabetes have leveled off, deaths from high blood pressure have increased. 5 The good news is that high blood pressure is "modifiable"—it can be controlled—and death from the condition is preventable. The key is knowing your numbers (normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg) and staying proactive to keep your numbers in check.

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