What Every Baby Boomer Needs To Know About Hypertension

I lost my mom at a relatively young age to complications from high blood pressure (hypertension). For as long as I could remember, she took medications for hypertension and its complications. She visited doctors regularly for this problem in her late 50s, was frequently hospitalized in her late 60s and 70s and died in a hospital from its complications at the age of 78.

Lower incomes tied to high blood pressure rates: Why nutrition and education may be key

High blood pressure is a global health issue, affecting over a billion people, and it’s only gotten worse. The number of people with high blood pressure has nearly doubled over the last 40 years. But believe it or not, the United States, Canada and South Korea actually have the lowest rates in the world, according to a new study published in The Lancet, which examined worldwide blood pressure trends from 1975-2015.

Blood pressure drugs linked to increased falling in patients

If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may have given you a prescription for a blood pressure-lowering medication, called an antihypertensive. Your doctor may have explained some of the side effects to watch for, like lethargy or swelling of the feet and legs, but there may be another side effect you should ask about – falling.

Avoid Overtreatment and Get an Accurate Blood Pressure Reading!

“Woah! I knew I was a little nervous, but I was not expecting my blood pressure to have increased by that much!” Well, it’s possible it didn’t. You may experience a “white coat effect,” where you get a high reading in the doctor’s office, but outside the office, your blood pressure is totally normal. And sometimes a high blood pressure reading is caused by something as small as the way you are sitting, such as when you cross your legs or need to use the restroom. Believe it or not, all these activities can give you a falsely high reading.

Reasons your blood pressure reading may be off

Have you ever been in a situation where your blood pressure reading sounds way higher than you expected? Something seems off, but after multiple measurements, it seems obvious the numbers aren't budging. You go fill a prescription and faithfully take meds for a condition you’re still not entirely convinced you have. But hey – the numbers don’t lie, right? Wrong.

Paw-some ways dogs make you healthier

Many people own dogs, cats, and other small animals. But few people truly understand how beneficial our furry friends actually are to our overall health and wellbeing. Studies dating back to the 1980s have endorsed the positive health benefits of pet ownership.