Roughly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure with many not realizing it. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a serious disease with few overt signs or symptoms.
ThedaCare is observing High Blood Pressure Education Month, highlighting the importance of people knowing their blood pressure numbers and taking steps to manage hypertension.
“Hypertension is often called a silent disease since it often has very few obvious symptoms,” said Dr. Kevin Chen, a Cardiologist with ThedaCare Cardiovascular Care. “We encourage people to have their blood pressure checked regularly and to talk to their doctor about what their numbers mean.”
Blood pressure is the force of a person’s blood pushing against the walls of their arteries as their heart pumps blood throughout their body. That force comes in two forms, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.
Systolic pressure occurs as blood pumps out of the heart and into the arteries. Diastolic pressure happens when the heart rests between beats. Both forces are each represented by numbers in a blood pressure reading.
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (AHA) follow these criteria for blood pressure:
- Normal: Less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic
- Elevated: 120-129 systolic and less than 80 diastolic
- Hypertension Stage 1: 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic
- Hypertension Stage 2: 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic
- Hypertension Crisis: Higher than 180 systolic and/or higher than 120 diastolic
In the event of hypertension crisis, individuals should consult their doctor immediately, Dr. Chen said.
“Your primary care provider can be your first line in helping uncover hypertension,” he said. “It’s another reason that it’s important to stay on top of routine care.”
People should have a medical professional check their blood pressure at least every two years, Dr. Chen said. Some people may require more frequent checks if they’re at high risk for hypertension. A person’s health care team will check their blood pressure during an annual wellness visit as well as if they receive care for a new medical concern or illness.
For individuals who have been diagnosed with hypertension, doctors may recommend home blood pressure monitoring. The AHA recommends an automatic, cuff-style, upper arm monitor.
Hypertension often has no symptoms. But in some cases, people with hypertension may develop headaches, shortness of breath, chest pain, vision problems and nosebleeds.
Individuals experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical care.
“When a person has high blood pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high, resulting in the heart having to work much harder,” Dr. Chen said. “That strain can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other potentially serious health problems, including aneurysms and kidney problems.”
Many factors can increase a person’s risk for developing hypertension. These include but aren’t limited to:
- Age: People over the age of 64 are more likely to develop hypertension.
- Race: High blood pressure is more common in Black people who tend to develop it earlier in life than others.
- Family history: Hypertension is more common in those who have parents or a sibling with the condition.
- Obesity: Excess weight may increase blood pressure.
- Sedentary lifestyle: People who are inactive tend to gain weight and have a higher resting heartrate, which means the heart must work harder.
- Tobacco use: Blood pressure rises when smoking, using chewing tobacco or vaping.
- Alcohol consumption: Alcohol may raise blood pressure, especially in men.
- Stress: High stress levels can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure.
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits may help lower blood pressure. That includes losing weight, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, reducing sodium intake, quitting smoking and refraining from drinking or doing so in moderation.
Lifestyle changes sometimes are not enough to lower a person’s blood pressure. A doctor may then recommend medication.
“People on medication should still make lifestyle changes, since these may help improve overall health and help prevent other diseases from developing,” Dr. Chen said. “Through tracking, managing and treating hypertension, we can help decrease the likelihood that people will develop more serious conditions with high blood pressure.” If you or a loved one would like to discuss information about high blood pressure, please connect with your care team or if you don’t have one, visit ThedaCare Access Care to schedule an appointment with a primary care provider.
