“Up, Up and Away” may have been a hit song by The 5th Dimension in the ’60s, but you don’t want to hear your doctor using those words to describe your blood pressure. Yet nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and about one-third don’t know it.

A SILENT KILLER

Sometimes called the silent killer because it often has no symptoms, high blood pressure can damage large and small blood vessels throughout the body. This increases the risk of many health conditions, including stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, eye damage, and dementia.

High blood pressure is a signal that your blood vessels are not healthy. If symptoms do occur, they may include morning headaches, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, vision changes, and buzzing in the ears.

A CLOSER LOOK

Blood pressure measurements show how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. It’s normal for the pressure to go up and down during the day. But if it stays too high for too long, it’s called hypertension—or simply high blood pressure.

Blood pressure readings have two numbers measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The upper larger number (systolic) is the pressure when the heart beats. The lower smaller number (diastolic) is the pressure when the heart rests and fills between beats.

You should have your blood pressure checked by a healthcare provider at least once a year. The American Heart Association has identified several categories for high blood pressure.

* Consult your doctor immediately!

WHAT INCREASES RISK?

Risk factors for high blood pressure include:

Lifestyle – Eating unhealthy food, being overweight, not exercising, drinking alcohol or caffeine, and smoking are the leading causes of high blood pressure.

Age – With an unhealthy lifestyle, blood vessels often thicken and stiffen over time. So blood pressure increases with age. About nine out of ten Americans will develop high blood pressure during their lifetime, but this is not normal.

Sex – Before age 60, men are more likely to have high blood pressure. After age 60, women are at higher risk. Overall, women and men are equally likely to develop this condition.

Heredity – High blood pressure often runs in families.

Race – Black Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more often than other ethnicities and at an earlier age.

Possible Vision Loss

Warning! Long-term effects of high blood pressure can lead to vision loss from these conditions:

• Blood vessel damage (retinopathy)

A lack of blood flow to the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye, leads to blurred vision or complete loss of sight. People with diabetes and high blood pressure are at an even greater risk. Managing blood pressure is the only treatment.

• Fluid buildup under the retina (choroidopathy)

This buildup results in distorted vision or sometimes scarring that impairs vision.

• Nerve damage (optic neuropathy)

This is the result of blocked blood flow. It can kill nerve cells in your eyes and may cause temporary or permanent vision loss.

• Stroke

About 65% of stroke survivors have vision problems. While some recovery is possible, most don’t fully regain their vision.

Source: American Heart Association

Blood Pressure Category

Systolic

(upper number)

Diastolic

(lower number)

Beating High Blood Pressure

How to keep it in check