Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - The Silent Killer

(A little side note - because this is such a serious topic, I wanted to lighten things up a bit with a little cartoon.  I searched Google Images trying to find one featuring women and high blood pressure....interestingly, they all featured men.  This reinforces my perception that hypertension, and heart disease in general, is still perceived as a "male only" issue - which it is not! ) 

High blood pressure is often referred to as the "silent killer" because there are usually no symptoms.

You can have high blood pressure, or hypertension, and still feel just fine.  Hypertension is a major health problem and if not controlled can lead to stroke, heart disease, eye problems, or kidney failure and can, in fact, affect all organs of the body.

Without regular blood pressure check-ups you put yourself at risk of serious health problems.  However, by being informed and taking action, you can get your high blood pressure under control before it becomes a problem.

Take control of your body, be proactive and have regular blood pressure monitoring!


I referenced the following sites for the information contained in this post  -

Heart and Stroke Foundation (Canada)

National Institute of Aging (US)

Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick

Next week...Five common myths about high blood pressure!

Monica

Disclaimer - 
The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.