To the Editor

Regular blood pressure screenings is perhaps one of the most important steps we can take in

promoting our health. Blood pressure is directly related to the risk for heart disease and stroke.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, in 2016 Ohio had the 13th highest death rate related

to heart disease in the nation. High blood pressure/ hypertension is a major risk factor for a lot of

serious health complications, specifically heart disease and stroke.

Hypertension causes so much strain on our blood vessels that after prolonged periods of high

pressure, the blood vessels become injured. When a blood vessel is injured our body starts the

clotting cascade which leads to the aggregation of platelets at the site of injury. Once the clot has

formed it is very difficult and sometimes impossible for the blood to continue flowing through

the vessel. This is what happens in both heart disease and strokes.

In heart disease, the coronary arteries are affected. These are the arteries that are on the outside

surface of the heart and are responsible for supplying the heart with the oxygen and nutrients it

needs to continue to beat. If the arteries are not completely blocked then a stent is often placed

through an outpatient cardiac catheterization. However if the arteries are severely or completely

blocked, the main treatment is open heart surgery called coronary artery bypass surgery. This

surgery has a painful and long recovery with some permanent activity restrictions. If left

untreated a blockage in the coronary arteries will lead to a heart attack and possibly death.

When someone has a stroke it can be because of a blocked artery or because of a tear in the

artery. Both of these can be caused by hypertension. A blockage in the artery works the same

way as explained in heart disease. A tear in the artery can be caused by hypertension and it
results in a stroke because the artery is leaking all the blood into the brain. Strokes often lead to

chronic disability or death.

This is why blood pressure screening is so important. If health care providers can catch

hypertension early enough, the risk for heart disease and stroke goes down significantly.

Hypertension can be manage through diet, exercise, reduction of stress, medication, and

cessation of smoking. The CDC states, “Research show that a 12-13 mm Hg reduction in systolic

blood pressure could reduce the number of strokes by 37%, coronary heart disease by 21%, and

death from cardiovascular disease by 25%. Because the consequences of high blood pressure are

so serious, early detection, treatment, and control are critical.”

It’s time for people to take their health into their own hands and learn how to live healthiest life

they can. Blood pressure screening doesn’t have to be difficult, even checking your blood

pressure when you’re at the store or buying a blood pressure cuff and routinely checking your

blood pressure helps. If you notice that your readings are high or higher than your normal, then

contact your physician for a check-up. Taking your blood pressure usually takes less than two

minutes, recovery from a heart attack or stroke lasts a lifetime.

-Nursing Student
 References

Ohio Department of Health. (n.d.). Heart Disease. Heart Disease. Retrieved October 27, 2020,
from https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/heart-disease/heart-
disease

CDC. (2016, June 16). State Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program Addresses High
Blood Pressure Fact Sheet|Data & Statistics|DHDSP|CDC. Retrieved October 27, 2020,
from https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_state_hbp.htm