High Blood Pressure: What Women Need to Know

by Kristy Como Armand

How many numbers do you keep track of in your daily life? From phone numbers and birth dates to account numbers and pass codes, numbers are a big part of our lives. But there is one number many women don’t pay enough attention to: their blood pressure.

According to Dr. Effat Rasul, internal medicine physician with Imperial Health, a common misconception is that high blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely affects women. However, nearly half of all adults with high blood pressure are women. In fact, women who are just 20 pounds or more overweight, have a family history of high blood pressure, or have reached menopause have an increased risk of the condition.

“While high blood pressure isn’t directly related to gender, throughout a woman’s life, certain female-specific health conditions, such as pregnancy, using birth control and menopause can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure,” says Dr. Rasul. “Women need to understand their risk and know their numbers.”

She explains that having high blood pressure forces your heart to pump harder, and it can also narrow and harden your arteries over time. “This increases your risk of developing heart disease, stroke and a number of other health conditions.”

Unfortunately, high blood pressure is considered a “silent” disease that can exist with few symptoms, sometimes even none. Dr. Rasul says high blood pressure symptoms can be subtle, especially in its early stages. The most common symptoms in women include headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath and chest discomfort.

“It’s easy to see how a woman could ignore these symptoms that are easy to confuse with the stress of everyday life, or, if age appropriate, signs of menopause. And, in some cases, a woman with high blood pressure might not have any noticeable symptoms at all,” she cautions. “The best way to monitor your risk for high blood pressure is to check your blood pressure regularly and have annual medical exams.”

Once you do get your blood pressure checked, it’s important to know what your current numbers mean:

· Normal blood pressure: Lower than 120/80 mmHg

· Elevated blood pressure: Between 120-129/<80 mmHg

· Hypertension, stage 1: Between 130-139/80-<90 mmHg

· Hypertension, stage 2: 140/90 mmHg or higher

“If your blood pressure is elevated, we need to take steps to prevent progression into high blood pressure,” says Dr. Rasul. “The higher your blood pressure gets, the harder it becomes to control and the more likely you are to experience complications.”

She says the good news is that high blood pressure can be prevented. “There are some cardiovascular risks we can’t control, but blood pressure is one risk factor we can manage effectively. The keys to preventing high blood pressure are to focus on making healthy lifestyle choices and avoiding the habits and behaviors known to be unhealthy.”

High blood pressure prevention tips include:

· Regularly monitor your blood pressure

· Maintain a healthy weight and lose weight if you are overweight

· Eat a well-balanced diet that limits highly processed foods

· Limit your salt intake

· Get 150 minutes of physical activity per week

· Limit alcohol

· Quit smoking

· Have regular checkups with your primary-care physician

“If you already have high blood pressure, the steps above become even more immediately important for managing the condition,” recommends Dr. Rasul. “Getting high blood pressure under control helps prevent it from progressing, and the earlier it’s diagnosed and managed, the better.”

For more information or to schedule a medical exam to assess your blood pressure, call Dr. Rasul’s office at (337) 433-1212.