MEDICAL SURFARI: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: BEWARE THE SILENT KILLER

Blood pressure, the force created by your heart as it pumps blood through your body into the arterial blood vessels and their resistance to the flow from your heart, is one way to measure the health of your cardiovascular system.

Hypertension (high blood pressure), can be diagnosed with a simple and painless test, and it can be controlled to prevent your heart from working progressively harder to pump blood through your arteries.

How high is high blood pressure? There is no single "ideal" blood pressure however there is an ideal range for blood pressure in adults. Usually, a person is considered to have hypertension when the systolic pressure (the first number in the reading) is 140 or more, and the diastolic pressure (the second number) is 90 or more for extended periods of time.

And if hypertension is not well controlled, your heart may enlarge, and you will be at increased risk for heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, and atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque in the arteries).

Since many people go on for years without knowing that they have hypertension, it has been called a "silent killer" and the effects of hypertension have caused hundreds of thousands of people to die each year of heart attacks and strokes.

May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, a time set aside to raise awareness and promote the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.

Did you know that nearly 15 million Americans have high blood pressure? Heredity, race (African Americans are more likely to have high blood pressure than white Americans), sex, age, sodium (salt) sensitivity, obesity, alcohol consumption, some medications and lifestyle all factor into developing hypertension.

Take these steps to help control your blood pressure:

Stay trim. Find out what your ideal weight is and then try to reach it. If you need to lose weight consult your doctor for advice.

Follow a balanced diet. If your doctor gives you a special diet, follow it closely. Controlling fat intake helps maintain your overall health.

Don't smoke. Smoking greatly increases your risk for developing cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Avoid sodium. Consuming salty foods may raise your blood pressure. Ask your doctor whether you should be on a sodium restricted diet. Read package labels and learn how to cut down on the amount of salt you use in cooking.

Exercise. Aerobic physical activity, in sessions lasting from 30 to 45 minutes at least three times a week, helps you stay trim, and exercises your muscles, heart and lungs. Before starting a vigorous exercise program consult your doctor, although most people who have been inactive have no trouble starting out with walking.

If you have hypertension, be certain to follow your doctor's instructions.

Why bother? Controlling hypertension lowers your risk for stroke by 30 to 50 percent, heart failure by 30 to 50 percent and coronary heart disease by 20 to 50 percent.

World Wide Web Resources

High Blood Pressure

http://www.amhrt.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_Z_Guide/hbp.html

This site by the American Heart Association gives you information on high blood pressure, the causes, and factors that contribute to high blood pressure.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/nhlbi.htm

This site is part of the Federal Government's National Institutes of Health and provides you with information about their research and educational activities.

Hypertension

http://guidetohealth.com/htn2.htm

In this Guide to Health, learn about the symptoms, diagnosis, complications, and treatment of hypertension. Click on HEARTWATCH to receive four free issues of the Heartwatch newsletter.

Dr. Scott Gibbs is a neurosurgeon and editor-in-chief of Mosby's Medical Surfari. You may e-mail questions questions to him at drgibbs@semissourian.com or write in care of the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701.