Despite years of awareness of the risk of high blood pressure as a contributing factor to heart disease related death, it continues as a major problem in the U.S. The Harvard School of Public Health reported earlier this year that high blood pressure contributes to 395,000 premature deaths each year. High blood pressure is the leading preventable cause of death for women, killing nearly 230,000 women each year. The magnitude of this number of deaths from a modifiable risk factor has caused researchers to question whether our public health system is focusing on the right set of interventions or whether it even has the capacity to implement the correct interventions to reduce this number. The study known as "The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors" published in PLoS Medicine in April of 2009 is the most comprehensive study yet to look at diet, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors contribute to mortality in the U.S.

Blood pressure is defined by two numbers. The top number, known as the systolic pressure, is the pressure when the heart beats forcing blood into the arteries. The bottom number, or diastolic pressure, is the pressure that remains in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats and filling up with blood. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less. High blood pressure is defined as 140/90 or higher. Over 31% of Americans have high blood pressure. Almost one-fifth of people with high blood pressure don't know that they have it. Even with treatment with multiple blood pressure lowering drugs, many people cannot lower their blood pressure to less than 140/90. Some estimates are that as many as 90% of middle aged adult Americans will develop high blood pressure during their remaining lifetime. Even more alarming is that physicians are now encouraged to monitor blood pressure beginning as young as 3 years old, because high blood pressure is occurring in young children and teens. High blood pressure is a contributing factor to heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.

There are steps that can be taken to prevent high blood pressure. If you smoke tobacco, quit as smoking is a preventable cause of increased blood pressure. Try to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Excess weight increases blood pressure. Be active with moderate exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables which provide potassium and lower or eliminate salt from your diet. Do not drink alcohol in excess. Recognize family history of high blood pressure and start early with prevention measures. Monitor blood pressure regularly. Home blood pressure monitors are relatively inexpensive and have been shown to help control blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a preventable cause of premature death for almost 400,000 Americans each year. High blood pressure is being recognized at younger ages. Almost all Americans are at risk for developing high blood pressure during their lifetimes. Medications have only been partially effective in helping control blood pressure. Lifestyle modifications have been shown to help prevent high blood pressure.

References: http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/index.htm, http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2009-releases/smoking-high-blood-pressure-overweight-preventable-causes-death-us.html, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_WhatIs.html.

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