May is Hypertension Awareness Month, and May 17th is World Hypertension Day.
Hypertension, AKA High Blood Pressure, is when the force against your blood vessels by the blood pumping from your heart is too great. It is often compared to pumping too much air into a tire. Force is necessary for the transportation of blood throughout the body, delivering nutrients and oxygen to tissues and organs, however too much force can cause fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, and many other symptoms. If left unchecked, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and dementia.
Hypertension can be caused by lifestyle factors such as smoking, an unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol intake, a sedentary lifestyle, and/or stress. It can also be due to factors outside of one’s control, such as diabetes, kidney disease, age, genetic history, or other health conditions.
Those with high blood pressure are far from alone. Over 7.2 Million Canadians have it, and 7.5 Million more are at risk of developing hypertension.
For those who have been diagnosed with Hypertension, an individualized plan with your doctor is the best course of action. Hypertension Canada does provide an abundance of resources for those who are battling High Blood Pressure. These include general information, print-outs to help with tracking and logging blood pressure, and tips for healthy living. Check some of them out below:
Blood Pressure Log Resource
Blood Pressure Measurement instructions
Guidelines Booklet
Understanding and Managing your Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure Action Plan
BP Number Standards
Recommended Blood Pressure Devices -Cooper Medial Supplies carries Blood Pressure Devices on this list!
