The Silent Killer: Do you have it? Are you at risk?

Contact: Brian Reardon (217) 544-6464, ext. 44306

SPRINGFIELD - High blood pressure is a serious and, unfortunately, very common health condition. More than 1 out of every 4 adults is affected by it. Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries. If not treated, it can lead to heart attacks, kidney disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease and even death.

It's important for people to know what their blood pressure numbers are and also to understand what they mean. Both pieces of information could save their life,said Dr. Jeff Goldstein of Prairie Heart Institute at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.

When a medical professional takes your blood pressure, they're actually measuring the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries. The higher (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart contracts to pump blood to the body. The lower (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. The systolic pressure is always stated first and the diastolic pressure second.

The American Heart Association states that blood pressure below 120/80 is considered optimal for adults. If your numbers are higher than that, you should regularly check your blood pressure and contact your doctor.

Blood pressure guidelines:

Normal less than 120/80
At risk of getting high blood pressure 120-139/80-89
High blood pressure 140/90 or higher


One of the problems with high blood pressure is that it usually has no symptoms. In fact, many people have high blood pressure for years without realizing it. That's why it's sometimes called the silent killer, said Dr. Goldstein. Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure, although it doesn't refer to being nervous or hyperactive. You can be a calm, relaxed person and still have high blood pressure.

If you check your blood pressure and it is high for the first time, it doesn't necessarily mean you have high blood pressure. But it does mean you need to check it regularly and talk to your doctor.
The next time you talk to your doctor about blood pressure, be sure and ask:
What is my blood pressure?
Is my blood pressure too high?
What should my blood pressure be?

Most of the time, the cause of high blood pressure is unknown although there are things you can change to lessen your chance of having high blood pressure. Things you can change include: Being very overweight can lead to many health complications and certainly can lead to high blood pressure. The weight puts an added strain on your heart. Drinking too much alcohol. Eating too much salt. Not exercising enough. Stress. Smoking.

Unfortunately, there are things that you can't change that affect high blood pressure. Things you can't change: Age --  in general, the older you get, the greater your chance of having high blood pressure. Men older than 35 and women older than 55 are more likely to develop it. Race/ethnicity -- high blood pressure is more common in African Americans than in Caucasians. Heredity -- if your parents have high blood pressure, it's more likely that you will too. Diabetes -- having diabetes greatly increases your chance of having high blood pressure.

The number of adults in the United States with high blood pressure increased 30 percent over the last decade according to the American Heart Association. It is imperative that all of us check our blood pressure regularly, know our numbers, and seek medical attention if the numbers are too high. For more information, visit www.prairieheart.com.