Many people are walking around that are much closer to hospitalization or death than they may think.

Read this article to the end - it may save your life!

A patient came into my clinic last week for self-injection training. He was in his early 40’s.

As part of the appointment, I checked his vitals, which included blood pressure.

As the cuff deflated, I glanced at the screen in disbelief. His blood pressure was sky-high at 177/123. (Normal is below 120/80)

Sometimes I am thankful that I still wear a mask for COVID protocols. I'm pretty sure it hid a shocked expression from this high reading.

I asked him the regular questions:

Does your blood pressure run high?

He doesn’t know.

When was the last time you had it checked?

Again, he doesn’t know.

After a few minutes, I rechecked it. Still high.

This patient needs immediate treatment.

He told me he was nervous and hated needles. Anxiety will elevate blood pressure.

We proceeded with his training.

I rechecked the blood pressure four more times over the next 45 minutes.

The numbers were still sky-high.

When his appointment was finished, I transferred him to the ER.

High blood pressure which is a symptom of heart disease is often referred to as the "silent killer." It is a widespread health concern that affects millions of people worldwide.

The scary thing is that there are very few or vague symptoms, so people are walking around unaware that their heart is a ticking time bomb ready to blow!

Blood Pressure is the measurement of the force of blood against the artery walls as the heart pumps and rests.

If you have elevated blood pressure, anything more than 120/80 could be causing severe health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage.

The top number is the force when your heart pumps and the bottom number is your heart at rest.

One of the most challenging aspects of high blood pressure is the lack of noticeable symptoms. Many individuals live with this condition without realizing it until it causes serious health issues.

Symptoms of severe headaches, shortness of breath or nosebleeds are some indications you can be aware of, but other health conditions can have these same symptoms.

High blood pressure can cause many disease processes including heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, vision problems and aneurysms.

By becoming aware of the risks and prevention strategies, you can prevent all these situations.

Preventing and managing high blood pressure depends on adopting a healthier lifestyle.

The most important thing you can do is check your blood pressure.

Most pharmacies have a blood pressure machine where you can sit down, put your arm in the cuff and get a reading at the push of a button. There will be either a printout or on-screen instructions to guide you with your results.

Even if your blood pressure is within normal range, you should consider making the following changes to help you live a long and healthy life. Check in with your primary care provider if it is in the high range.

Diet - Adopt a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains while reducing salt consumption. Also, limit alcohol intake as it can increase blood pressure.

Exercise – Start slow if you are not used to regular physical activity. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week.

Stress Management – Find ways to reduce the stress triggers in your life and find self-care habits that help you manage your stress. Try new things such as yoga, bubble baths with Epsom salts, deep breathing, and meditation, (there are some great apps). The most important thing is to take care of yourself!

Quit Smoking – If you are a smoker, you have an increased risk of high blood pressure and damage to blood vessels and lungs.

High blood pressure may be silent, but its effect can be life-altering. Knowing the signs, recognizing the risks, and adopting lifestyle changes while you can are essential to protect your health. By choosing a healthy lifestyle, you can improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of facing life-threatening conditions in the future.

I may never find out the outcome of my patient's hospital visit, but I am glad that I was able to catch those high numbers and send him for diagnosis and treatment.

I hope that you take this to heart, and take the steps to prevent the SILENT KILLER from getting you!

Click here to read more about high blood pressure.