High blood pressure is on the rise throughout the country, and although Utah fares better than the rest of the nation, it’s still a major concern.
According to the Utah Department of Health, one in four Utah adults has high blood pressure, which is defined as blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90. In addition, the U.S. Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the majority of people with high blood pressure are taking medication, yet their blood pressure is still uncontrolled.
High blood pressure is a major contributor to heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the country as well as in Utah. People with high blood pressure are four times more likely to die from a stroke and three times more likely to die from heart disease, according to the UDOH.
“While Utah fares better than the nation, this is still a major concern,” said Athena Carolan, health program specialist with the Utah Department of Health’s heart disease and stroke prevention program. “More than one-third, or 36.3 percent, of Utah commercial health plan enrollees with high blood pressure do not have their disease under control.”
High blood pressure isn’t the only concern. New research published in the Oct. 10 online issue of Neurology shows stroke may be affecting people at a younger age.
One of the culprits, according to the report, is high cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, overall cholesterol levels should less than 200 milligrams per deciliter.
According to the Neurology report, eating tomatoes and tomato-based foods can lower your risk of stroke, and an apple a day has been shown to lower cholesterol levels.
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