An interactive online tool from the American Heart Association (AHA) can help individuals understand their blood pressure numbers and know the right steps to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month and the AHA is doing its part to help three million people in the U.S. know their blood pressure numbers and understand what they mean. The interactive chart at www.heart.org/BPtools can help identify a person’s blood pressure risk and know the next steps for keeping their numbers at a healthy level.
Individuals can learn their blood pressure with a home monitor, at a clinic visit, or at a pharmacy where blood pressure measurement kiosks are located, and many pharmacy staff are trained to take a manual measurement.
According to the latest guidelines from the AHA and American College of Cardiology, blood pressure is too high when the top number in a reading is 130 or above or the bottom number is 80 or higher. Using this definition of high blood pressure, more than 100 million people in the U.S. have high blood pressure.
The AHA also offers blood pressure checks for large groups through programs like the Check. Change. Control initiative. Participants in this free, science-based program have seen blood pressure numbers drop and one-third improved their level of blood pressure control.
High Blood Pressure Facts:
- Nearly half of all U.S. adults (an estimated 103 million) have high blood pressure.
- At age 50, total life expectancy is 5 years longer for someone without high blood pressure, compared to someone with it.
- Hypertension is known as the “silent killer” because often there are no symptoms, despite its role in significantly increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke.
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other life-threatening conditions.
- High blood pressure is the most common controllable risk factor for stroke.
- Every 10-mm Hg rise in systolic blood pressure increases the chance of death from cardiovascular disease by 17%.