Is your blood pressure at or above 120/80? If so, it’s too high, according to new guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA). Having high blood pressure can put you at serious risk for heart disease, kidney failure and stroke. Under the new guidelines, it is estimated that nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, also called hypertension.
Treatment for high blood pressure (lifestyle changes or medication) previously was recommended at a reading at or above 140/90. The new guidelines recommend treatment beginning at 130/80. Read the American Heart Association article.
At GreenFields, hypertension is the most widespread chronic health condition in our community. That’s why we’ve launched our Get Set Pathway for residents with hypertension. This program will monitor their health, provide education, and measure improvements resulting from a better diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes. What we learn will help us continually improve our care, health and wellness services, and meal planning.
Additionally, we are launching a Get Set Pathway for residents who have or are at risk of diabetes, a condition that can also cause hypertension. Our program will help ensure we are serving our residents with the best care and programming possible.
The AHA has advice to reduce the risks of hypertension:
- Adopt a heart-healthy diet. Reduce your intake of salt, and eat potassium-rich foods such as bananas, potatoes, avocados and dark leafy vegetables.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- If you smoke, stop.
- Cut back on alcohol consumption.
- Increase your physical activity.
We encourage all GreenFields residents who have hypertension or diabetes to sign up for our Get Set Pathway program!
