Letter | Protect yourself with hypertension screening | Letters to the … – The Capital Times

Dear Editor: As summer weather approaches, it's important to remind ourselves that May is also Hypertension Awareness Month. Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is one of the early signs and major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is Wisconsins leading cause of death, affecting over 12,000 people yearly. As nurses, we treat people every day who have high blood pressure and may not even know it. The latest numbers from the CDC estimate that one in three American adults have hypertension, a staggering figure to say the least. Of those who do have a hypertension diagnosis, only one in four have it under control.

There are a number of causes. Disparities in health care access can make it more difficult for patients to get diagnosed and receive treatment. Treatment non-adherence whether because of haphazard dosing or quitting altogether can make patients hypertension worse.

The Preventive Cardiovascular Nurse Association encourages everyone to get screened for high blood pressure. Today, there are many treatments to control hypertension, along with further innovations and treatment approaches on the horizon. We cannot stress enough the importance of getting diagnosed early, adhering to medication and living a healthy lifestyle. These principles might save your life.

Sue Koob

CEO of Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association

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Letter | Protect yourself with hypertension screening | Letters to the ... - The Capital Times