Your Heart's Health

Heart Disease is the term for a group of different conditions which impair the normal functioning of the heart. While heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, there are many risk factors of Heart Disease which you can control. Risk factors are conditions or behaviors which increase your chances of developing a disease. With each additional risk factor, your chance of developing heart disease greatly multiplies. So if you have high blood pressure, or any other risk factor, you need to take action to protect your health.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease include:

• High blood pressure
• Being overweight
• Not exercising regularly
• Tobacco use
• Abnormal cholesterol
• Family history of heart disease
• Family history of diabetes

Blood pressure is a critical indicator of heart health. A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. About two-thirds of people over age 65 have high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 140/90 mmHg, then you have pre-hypertension. This means that you don’t have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future unless you control your risk factors and make healthy lifestyle changes.

High blood pressure is a condition that most people will have at some point in their lives. People who do not have high blood pressure at age 55 face a 90 percent chance of developing it during their lifetimes. Anyone with high blood pressure, or any concerns about their health, should speak with their doctor. If you do not know your normal blood pressure, simply stop by any Fire Station in Arlington County and ask for a free blood pressure check.