High blood pressure (BP), or hypertension, is among the most common cardiovascular
risk conditions in the United States and a major cause of coronary heart
disease, brain damage and dementia, congestive heart failure, stroke, loss of vision,
and renal failure. According to recent estimates, hypertension is present in approximately
100 million adults in the United States. The incidence of hypertension
increases with age. It affects about two-thirds of adults aged 60 years or older, more
than 75% of individuals aged 75 years or older, and the lifetime risk of developing
hypertension exceeds 90% if a person lives long enough. Hypertension is
associated with 41% of all CVD deaths.
It is well established that lowering blood pressure (BP) through diet and other life style interventions, or with medications, substantially reduces the risk of CVDs. Although high blood pressure is very common, almost half of Americans with high
blood pressure do not have their blood pressure under control according to the standard
of a systolic BP <140 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and a diastolic BP <90
mm Hg.
As is the case with high cholesterol, high blood pressure usually causes
few symptoms, and unfortunately, many Americans with high blood pressure are
neither aware of their hypertension nor taking antihypertensive medications.
This blog presents opinions and ideas and is intended to provide helpful general information. I am not engaged in rendering advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures and suggestions in that are presented are not in any way a substitute for the advice and care of the reader’s own physician or other medical professional based on the reader’s own individual conditions, symptoms or concerns. If the reader needs personal medical, health, dietary, exercise or other assistance or advice the reader should consult a physician and/or other qualified health professionals. The author specifically disclaims all responsibility for any injury, damage or loss that the reader may incur as a direct or indirect consequence of following any directions or suggestions given in this blog or participating in any programs described in this blog or in the book, The Building Blocks of Health––How to Optimize Your Health with a Lifestyle Checklist (available in print or downloaded at Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble and elsewhere). Copyright 2021 by J. Joseph Speidel
Recent Comments