2007 Article
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 A Deadly Relationship: High Blood Pressure and Its Companion, StrokeBy LTC Jose Ortiz, M.D., Courtesy of Decade of Health While Heart Disease remains the # 1 Killer of both Men and Women in the United States, Stroke is the 3rd most common cause of death in the United States. High Blood Pressure (HBP) is a major risk factor for both Heart Disease and Stroke and is easily detected through simple screening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Stroke caused over 163,000 deaths (or 6.8 % of all deaths due to chronic disease) in the U.S. in 2001.¹ Here are some key preventive actions to take to help cut the fatal ties between High Blood Pressure and the Stroke:
What exactly is a Stroke? Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or the blood vessel bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die.³ Stroke may occur at any age, although increasing age is one key factor for actually having a Stroke or a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA or mini-stroke), which may ultimately result in significant disability or even death. According to the American Stroke Association, learning to recognize Stroke symptoms is critical. Stroke is a medical emergency. Know these warning signs of Stroke and teach them to others. Every second counts: 
Any one of the above signs or symptoms or combination thereof may be an indication of a Stroke developing and should prompt you to make an IMMEDIATE call to 911 for a trip to the Emergency Room. Time is critical and any delay may result in missing the critical 3-hour window for LIFE SAVING STROKE THERAPY in the hospital. Time lost is brain lost! The relationship between High Blood Pressure and Stroke is very clear. Getting blood pressure treatment, if you need it puts you in control of a major risk factor for Stroke! YOU are the best steward of your own health. What is the Army National Guard Doing to Combat High Blood Pressure and Stroke? The ARNG is reinforcing the messages of its 2007 Get Cuffed! High Blood Pressure Awareness Campaign to help promote and sustain health and wellness for all our Citizen Soldiers, Civilians, and their Families. ARNG Health Professionals in every State and Territory have been provided several essential tools to help establish and promote local programs to fight the “Silent Killer” known as HBP. 
So keep it simple and REMEMBER: “Get Cuffed” at a nearby ARNG Blood Pressure Kiosk, know YOUR Blood Pressure Numbers and what they mean and seek medical advice on how to do your part in the ARNG’s fight against the “Silent Killer”! View this article as it appeared in GX Magazine
About the author: LTC Jose Ortiz. M.D., MPH, is the Chief of Preventive
Medicine, Office of the Chief Surgeon, NGB-ARS. ¹ Centers for Disease Control web site (www.cdc.gov), Section II, “The Burden of Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, and Diabetes, United States. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/burdenbook2004/Section02/stroke.htm. ² American Heart Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2007 Update, http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1166711577754HS_StatsInsideText.pdf ³ Source: The American Stroke Association web site www.strokeassociation.org, http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030066. &sup4; Source: The American Stroke Association web site www.strokeassociation.org, http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1020, September 2007. For more information, email: jose.mari.ortiz@ng.army.mil or visit: www.DecadeofHealth.com |