healthspin
by Shawn Dearie, NP
Northshore Internal Medicine Associates
Regular BP checks par for life’s
course
Shawn Dearie, NP
24
Although Roger, 55,
routinely wound up golf
games at the 19th hole,
sharing a couple of beers
with buddies, he appeared
to have a grip on healthy
habits – until one day he
had a stroke.
He was unaware of it,
but Roger suffered from
hypertension or more commonly known as high blood
pressure. It’s also called the
“silent killer” because it has
no warning signs.
Roughly, one in three
Americans has high blood
pressure, which can lead to
conditions like stroke, heart
attack, kidney problems
and even eye problems.
Blood pressure is the
force of blood pushing
against your blood vessels.
When this pressure rises
and stays high over time,
it becomes life-threatening.
It makes the heart work
too hard, causing damage
to blood vessels. The good
news is that it can often be
prevented or treated with
early diagnosis.
Some of the factors that
increase the risk of blood
pressure include:
• Being overweight
• Not exercising
• Eating too much salt
and sodium
• Not consuming enough
potassium
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Having diabetes.
Because most people
with high blood pressure
don’t know they have it,
it’s important to have it
checked regularly by your
health care provider. To
help your provider correctly measure your blood
pressure, follow these steps
when you come in for your
check-up:
• Wear a short-sleeved
shirt or blouse.
• Empty your bladder.
• For at least 30 minutes
before your appointment,
(Continued on Page 26)