Blood Pressure Checks
Hypertension – Manage Your Risk – Free Blood Pressure Checks
High blood pressure is known as the “Silent Killer” as most people with hypertension don’t know they have it. There are a lot of causes of high blood pressure, but some risk factors that include:
- Family history of hypertension
- Age – The older you are, the more likely you are to develop hypertension
- Gender – Until age 64, men are more likely to get high blood pressure than women are. At 65 and older, women are more likely to get high blood pressure
- Race – African Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more often than people of any other racial background in the United States. It also tends to be more server in African Americans, and some medications are not as effective in treating high blood pressure in African Americans.
- Chronic Kidney Disease – High blood pressure may occur secondary to kidney disease, and high blood pressure may also cause additional damage to the kidneys.
Modifiable Risk Factors
- Lack of physical activity
- An unhealthy diet, especially one high in sodium
- Being overweight
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Sleep apnea
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking and tobacco use
- Stress
Health Threats from High Blood Pressure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Heart failure
- Kidney disease or failure
- Vision loss
- Sexual dysfunction
- Angina
- Peripheral artery disease
Perrysburg Township Fire & EMS provide free blood pressure checks 7-days a week between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
