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Subscribe to RSSA new study shows a blood pressure reading that's just above the "normal" range could still point to a higher risk for stroke. NBC's Robert Bazell reports.
Blood pressure, known for decades as the “silent killer” is a well known risk factor for stroke. And along with the familiar other factors, such as smoking, lack of exercise and obesity, it contributes greatly to the risk of heart attack. For years the number 140/90 was considered the danger zone one shouldn’t cross into, the dreaded hypertension (high blood pressure) territory. But eight years ago, public health officials created another category called “pre-hypertension” starting at 120/80. How dangerous is pre-hypertension? In a study out Wednesday in the Journal Neurology, scientists at the University of California San Diego surveyed 10 large studies looking at pre-hypertension. They found that there is increased risk for stroke, and not surprisingly it gets higher along with the blood pressure, ranging from a 22 percent risk increase to 79 percent. You can read the research here.
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Good story on hypertension and thanks to my daughter I have lowered that second
number DIA to 70 Plus and am encouraged. SYS number is higher than desired
but, with a good doctor, am working for 140 which is possible in a week or
two. Also, after a fall last Sunday, next summer I will buy a pair of Reebock
flip-flops which has to be better than the ones I was wearing last weekend.
Things are looking up, personally!!!
Good story on high BP, my mother always had high BP all of her adult life and that's basically why she's no longer here, but I've made it to the half-century mark and never have had a high BP reading ever, or I guess I should say yet.
Well Brian I do hope that you still read the posts....I believe that you do but you reading what we write may be good for you to gage how things are going but it continues to be a sort of cold comfort for those of us who really and truly enjoyed what you had to say. On Aug 4th you wrote:
I'm here. I was crestfallen to read a tweet on my Twitter feed last night (yes, I read them...I just don't say anything) that said, in effect: "is this the way it's gonna be?" The tweeter in question was calling me out for my inactivity in this space over the last two weeks. The Congress special took a lot out of all of us -- several members of our team are still shaking it off. But that's no excuse. Forgive my absence and inattention. Every day around the time I usually post, something has come up.
The above entry was your last posting .....it gave me hope :) and others as well.
A few lines would be oh so welcome! Hoping all is well with you......
That's one of my most favorite blogs of his by the way, and I believe he wrote two or three after that one before he totally disappeared.
Brian,
Your blog has become as Pi$$ Poor as you news reporting. Must be you are to busy carrying the Obama message than converse with the viewers.
Good that Oregon people hands out free food but you could have also mentioned that Oregon has just received a $5 million dollar bonus for signing up the most food stamp receipants this fiscal year. Now 1 in 5 Oregonians receive food stamps.
You forgot to mention in the Bank of America report about the $5.00 debit card charge is coming due to a provision inserted by Chris Dodd in the Dodd/Frank regulations bill passed this year to protect the consumer.
Thanks government for looking out for us little people. Thanks NBC news for looking out for those progressive political elites. Soon you will have us all bankrupt.
Thanks for making more people aware of the dangers of pre-hypertension, but my comment has to do with "connecting the dots" between this and the story earlier this week that health insurance costs have risen by more than 9% Nightly news has carried numerous stories about the alarming increase in health risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and now hypertension. However, no mention of this was made in the story about health insurance costs. As a retired health insurance executive, I can tell you that more than 90% of the cost of health insurance is the payment of health claims. As Americans acquire more health risk factors, as we age, and as we incur more illness, resulting in more tests and more treatment. This is what drives health insurance costs. How about a story linking the two, instead of implying that it's the fault of health insurers who, by the way, now have to provide more expensive coverage due to new requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Even the Kaiser Foundation study you cited identifies the fact that the new law which requires coverage for older college students is helping drive this increase in insurance costs.
Joe San Filippo
Savannah, It is always good to see you filling in for Brian Williams as you are my
favorite female anchor. That said, it does my heart good that the Al-queda leader
is dead, and I firmly believe America will be safer now. My husband feels the same way Great coverage of the
Amanda Knox story by Lester Holt; I will tune in to Dateline this evening at 9PM for his
special on Dateline. Again, Savannah, I was pleasantly surprised to see you this
evening on NBC's Nightly News. Sincerely, Phyllis Kunz