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65
Getting hyper about heart health
What is hypertension?
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In simple terms,
hypertension is high
blood pressure (BP). A
person whose systolic
BP exceeds 140 mm Hg
or whose diastolic BP
exceeds 90 mm Hg is
diagnosed as having hypertension. Untreated systolic BP of 120139 mm Hg or untreated diastolic BP of 80-89 mm Hg is classified as prehypertension. Compared with normal BP (systolic BP
less than 120 and diastolic BP less than 80 mm Hg), prehypertension is associated with a one-and-a-half to two-fold increased
risk for life-threatening cardiovascular events.
Who has hypertension?
About one-fourth of all U.S. adults, including law enforcement officers (LEOs), have hypertension, but levels vary by age,
falling to only 8.7 percent of T