Blood pressure: Know where you stand

By William Weese, M.D.


                       Your heart is like a trusted friend who rarely complains. That can make it easy to miss the signals that it's under stress.

Checking your blood pressure is one important — and easy — way to learn how well your heart is working.

Do you know your numbers?
Many people don't realize they have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. That's because it usually has no symptoms. You can have it and feel fine — for years, in fact.

In the meantime, it can silently be making your heart work harder to pump blood. This can damage your blood vessels and organs.

Left untreated, high blood pressure is a dangerous condition. It can raise your risk of serious health concerns, including:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Blindness

You won't know whether your blood pressure is OK unless you have it checked regularly — as often as your doctor advises.

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