Posted by Sudbury Northern Life 
Being sick comes with symptoms, however elevated blood pressure can cause damage for a very long time before any symptoms appear. High blood pressure is a serious condition that leads to other diseases such as heart disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.
High blood pressure is the measurement of the blood force on the walls of the arteries. The top number (systolic) represents when the heart beats and pumps blood out of the heart. The bottom number (diastolic) is when the heart is at rest (between heart beats).
According to the Canadian Hypertensive Society, a normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. A blood pressure of 140/90 and up is significant (hypertension) and requires management to prevent the development of other diseases. For those with diabetes, 130/90 is concerning.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), hypertension is the No.1 risk for death among people in North America, followed closely by tobacco use and elevated cholesterol. According to the Heart and Stoke Association of Canada, hypertension affects one in five Canadians and 43 per cent of those do not know they have it. With proper diagnosis and treatment, the risk of stroke and heart attack reduces by 40 per cent and 25 per cent. Those stats certainly make me think about my blood pressure and so should you.
If you think you are at risk, get your blood pressure checked. Most drugstores have blood pressure measuring kiosks that are available for use. It is important that you sit and rest for a few minutes before you take a reading, as rushing and moving around will increase your blood pressure. So give yourself a minute to relax. You could also purchase yourself an approved blood pressure monitor to monitor your numbers at home. Research suggests that home monitoring findings are stronger predictors for stroke or heart attacks than in office monitoring.
High blood pressure is usually not treated with a prescription the first time you are told you have high blood pressure, unless you present with a stroke or heart attack, then the rules change. The first line of treatment is for you to change your lifestyle. That's right - you have work to do. Lifestyle modification includes healthy eating, regular physical activity, reduction in salt intake, moderate consumption of alcohol (only if you already consume alcohol), and stress reduction. The guidelines suggest lifestyle change implementation for three months with low to moderate hypertension before a prescription it initiated. Aggressive and dedicated lifestyle changes can eliminate hypertension in some and significantly decrease your risks for other diseases.
For many, change is not easy. Healthcare practitioners are aware of this struggle and, therefore, you are not alone. Access support from professionals; physicians, dieticians, nutritionists, nurse practitioners, nurses, kinesiologists, and/or personal trainers, to guide you on this journey. So many feel they know what they are doing, but most don't. Ask yourself: do you think you can fix your car just because your drive one? Of course not (unless you are a trained mechanic). Think of your lifestyle change as a new career. You need the education to know what to do, you need a mentor or a supervisor until you know your job, you need to make mistakes along the way to be successful. Then - and only then - can you do your new job well.
Karen Hourtovenko RN(EC), is a health and wellness consultant from Sudbury who writes columns about healthy living for Northern Life.
