The Centers for Disease Control list heart disease as America’s number one killer and strokes as number four. According to the National Institutes of Health, high blood pressure is one of the most common causes for heart failure.
To have a strong, healthy heart, you need to keep your blood pressure under control. Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels, which carry blood through your body. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is very dangerous. When you have high blood pressure, it makes your heart work harder to pump your blood throughout your body.
Treating high blood pressure can prevent heart failure or improve heart function. High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because it often causes no symptoms for many years. Even when it isn’t noticed, it can cause damage that could result in a heart attack. High blood pressure can damage the eyes, resulting in blurred vision, and even blindness.
Please make sure you get your blood pressure checked at every visit to your doctor. If your doctor says you have high blood pressure, make sure you follow their instructions and take any blood pressure medicine they prescribe.
If you have high blood pressure and do not have a blood pressure monitor, talk to your doctor. MedStar Family Choice may cover the cost of a blood pressure monitor if the doctor requests one.
Contact the MedStar Family Choice Quality Improvement Assistant at 410-933-2282 if you have any questions or need assistance making a doctor appointment.
For additional information, please review the Burden of Heart Disease in Maryland flyer.
To learn more about Heart Failure, please see these easy-to-understand educational videos created by MedStar Health.
Information current as of: