According to CDC director Thomas Frieden high blood pressure is public healthy enemy No. 2. The CDC says 36 million people in the U.S. have uncontrolled high blood pressure, and of that number, 14 million don’t even know it.
Interestingly, 16 million Americans who are on blood pressure medication still don’t have their blood pressure under control – a fact that emphasizes the need for basic lifestyle changes in order to truly resolve this problem.
To bring awareness to high blood pressure concerns, the CDC has launched the Million Hearts health education program, which teams up pharmacists and pharmacies with patient care teams to educate patients on the need to control blood pressure.
It’s important to understand that uncontrolled high blood pressure is a very serious health concern that can lead to heart disease, and it also increases your risk of having a stroke.
The good news though is that following a healthy nutrition plan, along with exercising and implementing effective stress reduction techniques will normalize blood pressure in most people. It’s actually an easily treated condition, but one that can cause serious damage to your health if it’s ignored.
