Atlanta, GA – April 21, 2011 - Getting a blood pressure check is part of the routine most patients understand they’ll undergo when they visit their healthcare provider. But some patients, especially those who seem to be healthy, may not routinely see their provider. Therefore, their high blood pressure, or hypertension, could go undetected for years. For that reason it has been labeled “the silent killer.”

The Georgia Association of Physician Assistants (GAPA) wants to encourage all Georgians to set aside a few moments during the month of May, which is Hypertension Awareness Month, for a routine blood pressure check. It’s easy to take advantage of free monitors at pharmacies, community or workplace health fairs and at most health clinics. Better yet, patients can use this opportunity to schedule a routine health exam with their healthcare provider.

GAPA wants patients and their families to understand why blood pressure checks are important and what hypertension means, along with the importance of self-monitoring and self-awareness. This can be both beneficial to patients’ health and can actually help save time and cut down on uncontrolled hypertension problems in the future. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one in three people, or 74.5 million Americans, have high blood pressure. Of those, only one-third may know they have it as symptoms may go unnoticed or ignored.

Blood pressure is defined as the pressure of blood on the walls of arteries as it circulates throughout the body. When this pressure is elevated it places stress on these walls and causes an increase in work on the overall circulatory system. Over time this can lead to susceptible individuals experiencing heart attacks, heart failure, vision damage, kidney failure, or other serious cardiovascular events.  Recognizing ways to control or reduce this pressure can help reduce and prevent major heart and cardiovascular damage.

“Symptoms that may occur with hypertension include: headache, dizziness, vision changes, nausea, vomiting and anxiety,” said Ben Taylor, PA-C, PhD. Taylor chairs GAPA’s public information committee and works in multiple emergency departments in Georgia and South Carolina. “It is important to stress to our patients that not all people develop symptoms until it is too late or a major cardiovascular event has occurred. Encouraging patients to monitor their blood pressure and change poor lifestyle habits is the best defense against hypertension.”


“In 90% of people, the cause of high blood pressure is unknown,” cautioned Taylor.  “Factors that can increase the risk of high blood pressure include family history, increased age, poor diet, stress, obesity and a lack of physical activity.  Smoking and too much alcohol consumption have been linked to hypertension, as well.”

Taylor offered these suggestions for patients to learn how to control and prevent high blood pressure:

•    Monitor your diet. Cutting back on fat and salty foods can help cut back on fluid buildup in the body and reduce the workload on the heart. Read labels and know how much salt is in food, especially before a trip to the grocery store or eating out. Skipping the table salt is a great way to reduce sodium intake. When eating out, don’t be so quick to grab the saltshaker. A good rule of thumb when grocery shopping is to stick to the outside walls of the store. This is where fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products are located. Avoid the aisles where processed and high sodium foods are found.  It is also important to limit alcohol intake.  Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. AHA recommendations are to drink no more than two alcoholic beverages per day for men and no more than one per day for women. 

•    Increase your physical activity. Regular exercise helps decrease and control blood pressure, reduces stress and prevents obesity. Stress and obesity are both prevalent in today’s society and are major contributors of hypertension.  The AHA and US Surgeon General recommend about 30 minutes of physical exercise a day. Increase your physical activity by using the stairs instead of the elevator. Find an activity you enjoy, such as swimming or dancing. Doing house or yard work, and walking instead of finding the closest parking space in the lot, can all help increase your physical activity and improve your weight. Weight loss reduces strain on the heart, so being a few pounds lighter can have an impact on your heart health.

•    Avoid tobacco products.  Every time you smoke, your blood pressure is elevated for a few minutes afterwards. For your heart and overall health, refrain from any form of tobacco use, especially if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. For more information on smoking cessation, please click on the “Patients” tab at gapa.net and read the article, “GAPA Prescribes Breathing Healthy 20,000 Times a Day.”

•    Take your prescribed medications. If you have been given medications for high blood pressure, it is important to take them as prescribed, even if you feel fine.  Managing hypertension requires diligence and effort. There are different types of blood pressure medicines and your provider may have you try more than one to find the best medicine for you. Inform him or her if you are experiencing any side effects from medication. Ask questions. Finding out everything you can about your condition and the medicines that have been prescribed is an important step in hypertension control.

•    Monitor your own blood pressure. If you believe that only stressed or overworked individuals can develop hypertension, you are wrong.  Don’t wait for an illness to get your blood pressure checked. Schedule a routine health exam with your provider or take advantage of free monitors at local pharmacies. Pharmacies also sell blood pressure cuffs for home use.

What do the numbers mean? Two numbers represent the systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic pressure is the top number that measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats or contracts. Diastolic pressure is the bottom number, which measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats while the heart muscle is resting and refilling with blood. Typically, a normal blood pressure reading should be less than 140/90 (except for patients with Diabetes, who are usually encouraged to maintain a normal pressure of less than 135/85).

The best way to get an accurate blood pressure reading is to:
a.    Take blood pressure first thing in the morning.
b.    Get a reading both before and after taking prescribed medication(s).
c.    Take blood pressure after sitting quietly (no talking on cell phones!) for at least 3-5 minutes with both feet flat on the floor (no crossed legs).
d.    Do not put the cuff over any clothing.

“If after a few readings, the blood pressure is higher than normal, patients should contact their provider as soon as possible to share the readings they have recorded,” Taylor added. “This is a great way for both patient and provider to keep track of the patient’s condition and to help ensure medicines or other treatments are working. Being proactive is a key step in dealing with hypertension.”               

Increased awareness of this condition, as well as consistent communication between patient and provider, can help decrease harmful long-term effects caused by this “silent killer” and increase quality of life for all affected patients.

It is the mission of the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants to promote high quality, cost-effective, accessible health care as part of a physician-directed PA/physician team in Georgia. To find a member PA near you, click on the “Find a PA” tab at gapa.net.

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Radio PSAs on a number of GAPA health watch topics can be downloaded at gapa.net. Click on the “Press” tab.