Did you know that one of three adults in America have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension? With such a large percentage of the population affected by hypertension, it is important to know some basic information. In honor of National Blood Pressure Awareness Education Month, Echo Pharmacy would like to share some facts with you.
Blood pressure is a term most people have heard before, but what exactly is it? Blood pressure is the force of blood on the walls of your blood vessels as your blood flows through them. Blood pressure has two numbers, systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure is the force on the blood vessel walls when the heart beats and pumps blood out of the heart. Diastolic pressure is the force that occurs when the heart relaxes in between beats.
Why is it important to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis? One scary fact about high blood pressure is that it can damage your body for years before symptoms develop! High blood pressure can damage the arteries, heart, brain, and kidneys. The good news is that high blood pressure can be controlled with treatment and life style changes.
