Blood Pressure

Saint Patrick Parish

Blood Pressure Screening

Health Care Ministry Blood Pressure Screening

Vision Testing and Blood Pressure Screening on the weekend of April 16-17th. Both Vision Testing and Blood Pressure Screening will be done on Saturday the 16th from 3 PM to 5:30 PM. On Sunday, is Blood Pressure Screening after the 7 AM, 9 AM and 11 AM Masses.

Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries in the body’s circulatory system. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is called the "silent killer". Its effects can range from mild to severe. The causes of high blood pressure vary and may include narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should.

In May 2003, The “Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure” provided the medical community with new guidelines for hypertension (high blood pressure) prevention and management. As a result, blood pressures between 120/80 and 140/90, formerly considered normal, are considered pre-hypertensive.

The reason for the change is the knowledge that damage to arteries begins at fairly low blood pressure levels–blood pressure levels formerly considered normal and optimal. In fact, studies show that the risk of death from heart disease and stroke begins to rise at blood pressures as low as 115/75, and the risk increases dramatically above that level. Unless prevention steps are taken, stiffness and other damage to arteries worsen with age and make high blood pressure more and more difficult to treat. The new pre-hypertension category is designed to encourage people to take preventive action early.

Preventive strategies include:

losing excess weight
becoming physically active
limiting alcoholic beverages
following a heart-healthy eating plan that is low in salt and other forms of sodium and rich in vegetables, fruit, and nonfat dairy products

The report also recommends that, for overall cardiovascular health, everyone quit smoking.

High blood pressure affects about 50 million Americans–one in four adults. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, the chief risk factor for stroke and heart failure, and can lead to kidney damage. The new guidelines suggest that many patients with hypertension need two or more medications to achieve blood pressure control (target levels less than 140/90 mmHg, or less than 130/80 mmHg for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease). Talk with your physician or other healthcare provider for further information about managing your blood pressure

Every two months, the Health Care Ministry volunteers will be available to check blood pressures in the Parish Center Conference Room after the Saturday 4 pm and 5:30 pm Masses and the Sunday 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, and 2 pm Masses.

Watch the Parish bulletin for the specific dates.
We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity

WebMasters
Anne Bradley at ContentMaster@SaintPatrickParish.com
Paul Croteau at WebMaster@SaintPatrickParish.com