Don’t leave out the Blood Pressure Check from Your Health Fair Screening

Because many times people are symptom free, they have no idea that they have high blood pressure.
Further, many people have no idea what their blood pressure is until it is measured. An employer does a disservice to his employees if he leaves out the blood pressure check from his biometric screening event. The health fair is an excellent opportunity to reach the most people in a single location. Because it is convenient, employees tend to have their blood pressure checked using either a cuff and gauge with a stethoscope or an automatic blood pressure machine.

It is amazing how many people we see at health fairs that have no idea what the blood pressure numbers mean and how they impact their risk for future disease. We often hear the phrase “I’m watching it!” Does this mean they are watching their numbers slowly creep up?

Normal Blood Pressure:

Systolic (top number) 120; diastolic (bottom number) less than 80

Prehypertension:

Systolic 120-139; diastolic 80-89

High Blood Pressure:

Stage 1: Systolic 140-159; diastolic 90-99
Stage 2: Systolic more than 160; diastolic more than 100

High blood pressure is sometimes called “the silent killer. Individuals with elevated blood pressure can be at risk for developing blurred vision, headaches, dizziness, chest pains, shortness of breath ,nausea and vomiting.

Untreated high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack, heart failure, aneurysms, stroke and kidney failure. These risks can be controlled by taking blood pressure medication. Lifestyle changes can prevent or help maintain a normal blood pressure. Some of these are:

• Decreasing salt intake (learns to read labels, avoid fast foods, and don’t add extra salt to food)
• Eating a low fat diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Stop smoking
• Exercise regularly
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Reduce stress
• Get routine blood pressure screenings

True Story:

A police officer walks into the fire station for a blood pressure check. He tells the paramedic that he has been feeling light headed. His blood pressure reading was 170/110. The paramedic says “that’s high; you need to see your doctor”. The policeman’s response was “I thought high was good”.

Source: emedicinehealth.com