BLOOD PRESSURE Knowing the facts and managing your

BLOOD PRESSURE Knowing the facts and managing your blood pressure

TABLE OF CONTENTS What is Blood Pressure? 3 High Blood Pressure in the United States 4 -5 Risk factors for high blood pressure 6 -7 Signs and symptoms of high blood pressure 8 What blood pressure numbers mean 9 How is blood pressure diagnosed 10 How is blood pressure treated? 11 Interactive video and learning activity 12

What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries that carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day, but it can damage your heart and cause health problems if it stays high for a long time. High blood pressure is also called hypertension.

High Blood Pressure in the United States • Having high blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States. 1 • About 75 million American adults (32%) have high blood pressure—that’s 1 in every 3 adults. 3 • About 1 in 3 American adults has prehypertension—blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal—but not yet in the high blood pressure range. 3 • Only about half (54%) of people with high blood pressure have their condition under control. 2 • High blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of death for more than 410, 000 Americans in 2014—that’s more than 1, 100 deaths each day. 1 • High blood pressure costs the nation $48. 6 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat high blood pressure, and missed days of work. 1

RISK FACTORS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE • Prehypertension • Diabetes Unhealthy behaviors can also increase your risk for high blood pressure, especially for people who have one of the medical conditions listed above. Unhealthy behaviors include: • Smoking tobacco. • Eating foods high in sodium and low in potassium. • Not getting enough physical activity. • Being obese. • Drinking too much alcohol.

RISK FACTORS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Several factors that are beyond your control can also increase your risk for high blood pressure. These include your age, sex, and race or ethnicity. But you can work to reduce your risk by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and being physically active.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE High blood pressure usually has no warning signs and symptoms, so many people don’t realize they have it. There’s only one way to know whether you have high blood pressure: Have a doctor or other health professional measure it. Measuring your blood pressure is quick and painless.

WHAT BLOOD PRESSURE NUMBERS MEAN Blood pressure is measured using two numbers. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm. Hg). The chart below shows normal, at-risk, and high blood pressure levels. A blood pressure less than 120/80 mm. Hg is normal. A blood pressure of 140/90 mm. Hg or more is too high. People with levels from 120/80 mm. Hg to 139/89 mm. Hg have a condition called prehypertension, which means they are at high risk for blood pressure.

HOW IS BLOOD PRESSURE DIAGNOSED? Your doctor measures your blood pressure by wrapping an inflatable cuff with a pressure gauge around your arm to squeeze the blood vessels. Then he or she listens to your pulse with a stethoscope while releasing air from the cuff. The gauge measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats (systolic) and when it rests (diastolic).

HOW IS BLOOD PRESSURE TREATED? If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat it. Lifestyle changes, such as the ones listed above, can be just as important as taking medicines. Talk with your doctor about the best ways to reduce your risk for high blood pressure.

WHAT IS A NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE READING? Can you identify things that were done wrong for this measurement? https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Zt. Vo. HOay. Vmg

REFERENCES 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999 -2013 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released 2015. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999 -2013, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program: http: //wonder. cdc. gov/ucd-icd 10. html. Accessed on Feb 3, 2015. 2. Farley TA, Dalal MA, Mostashari F, Frieden TR. Deaths preventable in the U. S. by improvements in the use of clinical preventive services. Am J Prev Med. 2010; 38(6): 600– 9. 3. Nwankwo T, Yoon SS, Burt V, Gu Q. Hypertension among adults in the US: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011 -2012. NCHS Data Brief, No. 133. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2013.