• About 67 million adults have high blood pressure.

• More than half (36 million) have uncontrolled high blood pressure.

• Nearly 22 million know they have high blood pressure, but still don’t have it under control.

• 16 million take medicines, but still don’t have their high blood pressure under control.

• High blood pressure is a major risk factor of heart disease and stroke, two of the nation’s leading causes of death.

Eating a high-salt diet for several years may damage blood vessels - increasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

The study's results "add to the considerable evidence that a diet heavy on salt is closely linked to high blood pressure," said John Forman, M.D., lead author of the study and a nephrologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

"In addition, this study reinforces guidelines backed by the American Heart Association and other professional organizations that recommend reducing salt consumption to minimize the risk of developing high blood pressure," Forman said.

Read AHA news release.

• During 10 years ending in 2006, hospitalizations for children with high blood pressure increased dramatically.
• Related hospital charges to treat them also soared.
• Researchers suggest healthcare providers address healthy lifestyle habits during children’s well visits to reduce risk of hypertension.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic risk factors. When a patient presents with these risk factors together, the chances for future cardiovascular problems are greater than any one factor presenting alone. For example, high blood pressure alone is a serious condition, but when a patient has high blood pressure along with high fasting glucose levels and abdominal obesity, this patient may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. There is a greater chance this patient will have cardiovascular problems because of the combination of risk factors.

Metabolic syndrome is a serious health condition that affects about 35 percent of adults and places them at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke and diseases related to fatty buildups in artery walls. The underlying causes of metabolic syndrome are obesity, being overweight, physical inactivity and genetic factors.

What are the risk factors?

Metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has three or more of the following measurements:

• Abdominal obesity
• Triglyceride level of 150 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) or greater
• HDL cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
• Systolic blood pressure (top number) of 130 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater
• Diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) of 85 mm Hg or greater
• Fasting glucose of 100 mg/dL or greater
• Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (the body can't properly use insulin or blood sugar)

Although metabolic syndrome is a serious condition, you can reduce your risks significantly by reducing your weight; increasing your physical activity; eating a heart-healthy diet that's rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fish; and working with your healthcare provider to monitor and manage blood glucose, blood cholesterol, and blood pressure.

In a survey of 1,000 physicians about their lifestyles and whether they recommend national guideline lifestyle modifications to patients with high blood pressure, researchers found:

• Four percent smoked at least once a week.
• Almost 39 percent ate the recommended five or more cups of fruits and vegetables a week.
• About 27 percent exercised five or more days a week.
• About 66 percent made all five lifestyle recommendations to patients.
• Doctors who exercised at least once a week or didn’t smoke were about twice as likely to recommend the five interventions.

Eating too much sodium increases blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.  The American Heart Association wants to help all Americans lower the amount of sodium they consume. 

• encouraging manufacturers to reduce the amount of sodium in the food supply;
• advocating for more healthy foods to be available and accessible (for example, more fruits and vegetables); and
• providing consumers with education and decision-making tools to make better food choices.

To learn what  you can do, please get the facts on shaking the habit.

Why yoga?

Thinking prevention? As part of an overall healthy lifestyle, yoga can help lower blood pressure, increase lung capacity, improve respiratory function and heart rate, and boost circulation and muscle tone.

Yoga also has proven benefits for those who have faced cardiac arrest, heart attack or other heart events.

Yoga is is designed to bring about increased physical, mental and emotional well-being.  After your first yoga class, your blood pressure will likely be lower, you’ll be relaxed and you’ll feel better.

To learn more . . .

Did you know that over 75 percent of the sodium in our diet comes from processed foods, beverages and restaurant foods? That's not just a food problem, it's a heart problem.

 High sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. With nine out of 10 Americans facing high blood pressure during their lifetime, it's clear that we need better control of our sodium intake.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration can help make our country's hearts healthier by reducing sodium levels in processed and packaged foods, and we need your help to urge the FDA to act! To date, more than 4,300 You're the Cure advocates have submitted comments in support of removing excess sodium from our food supply. Will you help us reach 5,000 by the Jan. 27 deadline?

Take Action Today!

Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers.

Systolic:  The top number, which is also the higher of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (when the heart muscle contracts).

Diastolic:  The bottom number, which is also the lower of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats (when the heart muscle is resting between beats and refilling with blood).

This chart reflects blood pressure categories defined by the American Heart Association.


For healthy living, know your numbers!

8) Myth. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and I have been maintaining lower readings, so I can stop taking my medication.


High blood pressure is a lifelong disease. Follow your healthcare professional's recommendations carefully, even if it means taking medication every day for the rest of your life. By partnering with your healthcare team, you can successfully reach your treatment goals and enjoy the benefits of better health.

7) Myth. I have high blood pressure and my doctor checks it for me so I don’t need to check it at home, too.


Because blood pressure can fluctuate, home monitoring and recording of blood pressure readings can provide your healthcare provider with valuable information to determine whether you really have high blood pressure and, if you do, whether your treatment plan is working. It's important to take the readings at the same time each day, such as morning and evening, or as your healthcare professional recommends.

6) Myth. I read that wine is good for the heart, so I can drink as much of it as I want.


If you drink alcohol, including wine, do so in moderation. Heavy and regular use of alcohol can increase blood pressure dramatically. It can also cause heart failure, lead to stroke and produce irregular heartbeats. Too much alcohol can contribute to high triglycerides, cancer, obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents, and it can be highly addictive. If you drink, limit consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Generally, one drink equals a 12-ounce beer, a four-ounce glass of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, or one ounce of hard liquor (100-proof).

5) Myth. People with high blood pressure have nervousness, sweating, difficulty sleeping and their face becomes flushed. I don’t have those symptoms so I must not have high blood pressure.


Many people have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. High blood pressure is often called "the silent killer" because it has no symptoms, so you may not be aware that it's damaging your arteries, heart and other organs. Don't make the mistake of assuming symptoms will alert you to the problem of high blood pressure. Everybody needs to know their blood pressure numbers. Diagnosis should only be made by a healthcare professional.

4) Myth. I feel fine. I don’t have to worry about high blood pressure.


More than 76 million U.S. adults have high blood pressure – and many of them don’t know it or don’t experience typical symptoms. High blood pressure is serious. If uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to severe health problems. High blood pressure is also the No. 1 cause of stroke.

3) Myth. I use kosher or sea salt when I cook instead of regular table salt. They are low-sodium alternatives.


Chemically kosher salt and sea salt are the same as table salt – 40 percent sodium – and count the same toward total sodium consumption. Table salt is a combination of the two minerals sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl).

2) Myth. I don’t use table salt, so I’m in control of my sodium intake and my blood pressure isn’t affected.


In some people, sodium can increase blood pressure. But controlling sodium means more than just putting down the salt shaker. It also means checking labels, because up to 75 percent of the sodium we consume is hidden in processed foods like tomato sauce, soups, condiments, canned foods and prepared mixes. When buying prepared and prepackaged foods, read the labels. Watch for the words "soda" and "sodium" and the symbol "Na" on labels; these words show that sodium compounds are present.

1) Myth. High blood pressure runs in my family. There is nothing I can do. I will get it too.


High blood pressure can run in families. If your parents or close blood relatives have had high blood pressure, you are more likely to develop it, too. However, lifestyle choices have allowed many people with a family history of high blood pressure to avoid it themselves. Lifestyle changes you can make to prevent it include:

• Eat a better diet, which may include reducing salt;
• Enjoy regular physical activity;
• Maintain a healthy weight;
• Manage stress;
• Avoid tobacco smoke;
• Understand hot tub safety;
• Heat from hot tubs and saunas cause blood vessels to open up (called vasodilation). Vasodilation also happens during normal activities like a brisk walk. If your doctor has told you to avoid moderate exercise, you should also be careful when considering hot tubs and saunas.
• Comply with medication prescriptions;
• If you drink, limit alcohol.

Most Americans believe drinking wine is good for your heart but are unaware of recommended alcohol limits, and most mistakenly believe sea salt is a low-sodium alternative to regular table salt, according to a new survey about these common products.

The American Heart Association surveyed 1,000 American adults to assess their awareness and beliefs about how wine and salt affect heart health. Many studies have reported the benefits of limited wine intake for heart health and the risks of too much salt.

Seventy-six percent of those surveyed agreed with the statement that wine can be good for your heart. Drinking too much can be unhealthy, yet only 30 percent of those surveyed knew the American Heart Association’s recommended limits for daily wine consumption.

“This survey shows that we need to do a better job of educating people about the heart-health risks of overconsumption of wine, especially its possible role in increasing blood pressure,” said Gerald Fletcher, M.D., American Heart Association spokesperson and professor of medicine - cardiovascular diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.

If you drink any alcohol, including wine, beer and spirits, the American Heart Association recommends that you do so in moderation. Limit consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women ― for example, that’s generally 8 ounces of wine for men and four ounces of wine for women. Heavy and regular alcohol use of any type of alcohol can dramatically increase blood pressure. It can also cause heart failure, lead to stroke and produce irregular heartbeats. Heavy drinking can contribute to high triglycerides, cancer, obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents.

The survey also showed that many Americans are confused about low-sodium food choices and don’t know the primary source of sodium in American diets. Excessive sodium can increase blood pressure in some people, increasing the risk of heart diseases and stroke.

Sixty-one percent of respondents incorrectly agreed that sea salt is a low-sodium alternative to table salt. Kosher salt and most sea salt are chemically the same as table salt (40 percent sodium), and they count the same toward total sodium consumption.

Forty-six percent said table salt is the primary source of sodium in American diets, which is also incorrect. Up to 75 percent of the sodium that Americans consume is found in processed foods such as tomato sauce, soups, condiments, canned foods and prepared mixes.

“High-sodium diets are linked to an increase in blood pressure and a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. You must remember to read the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient list on food and beverages,” said Dr. Fletcher.

The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. To effectively limit sodium intake, when buying prepared and prepackaged foods, you should read the nutrition and ingredient labels. Sodium compounds are present whenever food labels include the words “soda” and “sodium,” and the chemical symbol “Na.”

Managing your blood pressure is a good way to manage your heart health. Access the American Heart Association’s free information, resources and tools on high blood pressure at http://www.heart.org/hbp.