Last month, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology released a new guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Under the new rules, the threshold for high blood pressure is now considered to be 130/80 mmHg (originally 140/90 mmHg).

Having hypertension means that the pressure to which your arteries pump blood from your heart to the rest of your organs and throughout your body is too great. This excess pressure puts stress on the heart and causes many health problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death on a global scale. In the United States, it is the cause of almost 1 in every 4 deaths. A significant contributor of heart disease is hypertension, which is a condition that can be prevented or managed with the right lifestyle and treatment.

Now more than ever, it is important to understand your own blood pressure numbers in order to know your risk.

To learn more about how the new guidelines affect you, or to prevent or manage hypertension, call your primary care clinic and schedule an appointment for a routine checkup with your nurse or doctor.  Also consider taking advantage of wellbeing programs offered through SEGIP Health Solutions such as StayWell, Omada, WorkWell, and LifeMatters (EAP).

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