The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology released new guidelines this fall regarding high blood pressure for women. The emphasis is now on individualized blood pressure management and on treating high blood pressure as early as possible.
Dr. Rachel M. Bond works with the American Heart Association.
“The tricky thing about high blood pressure is that, because there really are no warning signs, the only way for you to know if you have elevated or high blood pressure is to go to the doctor regularly and get your blood pressure checked,” Dr. Bond said.
Your blood pressure reading should be 120/80 or below.
High blood pressure is the leading preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. New research has found the condition to be a significant risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia as well.
To stay ahead of high blood pressure:
- Stay active. Do at least 150 minutes per week of any moderate exercise that increases your heart rate.
- Eliminate processed food, and foods with high saturated fat and high salt content.
- Eat whole grains
- Get at least 6-8 hours of sleep per day.
- Go to the doctor once a year at a minimum and get your blood pressure and other numbers like cholesterol, blood sugar and weight checked.
For general heart health information, go to the American Heart Association website.
Check this AHA site for information specific to women.
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