The silent killer

Did you know that one person dies from heart disease every 36 seconds in the United States, according to the American Heart Association (AHA)?

February is American Heart Month, and Parkland Health providers want your blood pressure down and your hypertension awareness up.

Hypertension is known as a “silent killer” because people with this condition do not have symptoms and may not even know that they have it. Even while remaining “silent”, hypertension increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, eye disease, and kidney disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), only 24% of people with hypertension have their condition under control. “Controlling blood pressure begins with becoming aware of the disease”, says Ann Marie Navar, MD, a cardiologist at Parkland Health and Associate Professor of Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Navar advises that everyone should check their blood pressure with their primary care doctor at routine visits. Many people at risk for hypertension or who have borderline high blood pressure may be advised by their healthcare provider to also routinely monitor their blood pressure at home.

Untreated and uncontrolled high blood pressure can damage the blood vessels of organs, including the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain, which can cause blindness, kidney failure, a heart attack, or stroke.

To learn more about keeping your heart healthy, visit www.parklandhealth.org/hypertension.