HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — February is American Heart Month, and knowing your blood pressure is a big part of staying healthy.
Blood pressure tells a doctor how well your heart is pumping blood through your body. There are always two numbers on a reading, a higher number over a lower number. But what are they?
“There’s a systolic number. That’s when the heart is beating. And then there’s a diastolic number and that’s when the heart is relaxing,” said Dr. Ronald McKechnie, a cardiologist for Sentara Health Interventional. “A normal blood pressure would be 120 over 80. Less than that is normal.”
Elevated blood pressure is anything between 120 and 139 over 80 or below. Above 139 and you’re looking at something called hypertension — a condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is consistently too high. Doctors call it a silent killer.
“So, most people don’t recognize they have an issue until it’s been running high for a number of years,” McKechnie said.
Signs can be shortness of breath, occasional chest pain and headaches. It can lead to a heart attack, a stroke, trouble with kidney function, vision loss and leg circulation issues. And minority populations, like African Americans, are adversely affected.
“They are adversely affected by social determinants of health,” said Dr. Francine Pearce, medical director of health equity for Sentara Health. “And those are the non-medical impacts. That includes education — so lower education — economics, if you have financial stress, access to health, as well as unsafe neighborhoods or communities can really impact somebody’s stress level, leading to hypertension.”
Other minorities at risk of hypertension include Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans. Other risk factors are inactivity, sleep apnea, excessive alcohol, a diet high in salt and obesity. Seventy-nine percent of Americans are considered obese. If you have high blood pressure, doctors say for every 10 milliliters that you lower your blood pressure, you drop your risk of cardiovascular events by 20%. Experts say know your numbers.
“Knowing your blood pressure, knowing your weight circumference, knowing your hemoglobin A1C so that you can know what your risks are [is important] because most of these things can be managed by early intervention of a change in diet and increasing physical activity,” Pearce said.
They suggest home blood pressure monitoring. You can shop for blood pressure cuffs online. However, it’s important to know how to take your blood pressure. Studies have shown you need to hold your arm at the level of your heart, so rest on a desk or the arm of a chair. If it’s in your lap or hanging down, it could lead to a higher reading. If you plan to buy a cuff of your own, the American Heart Association has detailed information about how and when to take it:
For a list of Sentara Community Care Centers where you can get your blood pressure taken, visit Sentara Community Care.
