High Blood Pressure Greatly Increases the Risk for Heart Attack & Stroke

20 million Americans undiagnosed

High Blood Pressure is a serious, potentially fatal condition that needs to be properly diagnosed and treated. Did you know, according to the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, that an estimated 20 million Americans are running around undiagnosed? These people need to realize that they are in great danger of experiencing possible Heart Attacks, and Strokes; which are only 2 of the main affects of the medical term, Hypertension. It is known as the "silent killer" because, for the most part, there are no symptoms or warning signs. The following information is for those whom are, know or care for any of the possible 20 million Americans that are undiagnosed.
First you might ask, why should we care about hypertension or high blood pressure? It's not a condition that needs immediate attention, right? One can put off going to the doctor's for a check up because "what I don't know can't hurt me", right? WRONG. It can hurt you and it will hurt you, if untreated. More importantly, not only you will be affected but the people you care about and the people who care for you will be affected.
Here is what can happen:

Hypertension is the result of tightening of arterioles, tiny arteries, causing the heart to pump harder to get blood through a smaller area, which increases pressure and over time affects larger arteries. The scenario is similar to the domino effect of a snowflake becoming an avalanche. As the smaller arterioles constrict, the larger arteries work harder causing the muscles to thicken on the arterial walls, then shrinking the size for blood flow. Deceasing the size of blood flow increases the chances of interruption by possible clots; like clogging a pipe or pinching a hose. Without proper blood flow to the heart and brain, conditions will be right for attacks. back to top
For example, one may experience a heart attack or a myocardial infarction. This will happen when there is not enough blood reaching the heart, a condition known as ischemia. A person will feel the sensation of chest pain in the form of squeezing or crushing, discomfort in other areas in the upper body, nausea, shortness of breath, cold sweat and/or dizziness. If blood flow supply to the heart is mostly cutoff, cells within the heart will die without oxygen, causing heart damage. When it comes to heart attacks, here is a startling realization: "Each year, about 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack. About 460,000 of those heart attacks are fatal. About half of those deaths occur within 1 hour of the start of symptoms and before the person reaches the hospital," says the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. People need to pay timely attention to symptoms and/or treat an undiagnosed disorder called high blood pressure. Something to give you thought. And keep in mind, high blood pressure doesn't always follow this course. back to top
For instance, another person may be affected by a "brain attack", also known as a stroke. In one sense, a stroke is virtually the same as a heart attack, except, it's ischemia of the brain. A person will feel anything from blindness or dimming of sight in one or both eyes, to difficulty in communicating-esp. speech, to loss of feeling or numbness throughout the face, to difficulty swallowing. Just like the heart, if brain cells do not get enough oxygen, they will die, causing brain damage. "Stroke is the third largest killer in the United States, after heart disease and cancer," says American Heart Association and National Stroke Association. "Each year, about 700,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Of those, about 25% die within a year, and about 15% to 30% have some degree of permanent disability." It is the number one cause of adult disability in the United States. There is no absolute correlation to hypertension and strokes, however, it is known high blood pressure is significantly related to increased risk. The risk can be lessened, even eliminated by properly diagnosing and treating hypertension. back to top

No one wants to be sick, it's a sign of weakness (it doesn't feel too good either). No one wants to go to the doctor, it's a sign that you could possibly be weak. But on the other hand, no one wants to fall into cardiac arrest or find themselves with severe brain damaged because of untreated hypertension. It's a simple precautionary measure to get checked out. Treatments for high blood pressure are manageable and promote all around healthier life styles. You would have to eat better food and actually taste something without salt; you might like natural flavor. You would have to exercise regularly, eventually feeling more energetic; get you off the couch, enjoy the world. And learn how to live with less stress; relax those forehead muscles and flex your smile. It's better than the possibility for an avalanche of a fatal attack. You can even manage hypertension at home, on your own time, by purchasing an affordable home blood pressure kit. Don't let yourself or someone you know be one of the 20 million Americans undiagnosed.back to top

WARNING: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A SILENT KILLER!
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This information is from

http://www.texasheart.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/hbp.cfm, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/haws.htm, http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053 and http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=STROKE

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