“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>A few months ago, I went to see my doctor for a routine appointment. It’s always a challenge for me to be the patient, mostly because I’m not exactly the most patient person. I try to be understanding as I wait because I know how busy it can be behind the scenes in a health care provider’s office.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Soon after I arrived, I was greeted by one of the medical assistants whom I’ve seen in the office for years. She was friendly as usual and asked how my family was doing. As she started to take my blood pressure, I tried not to focus on her technique. She is very experienced, though, so it didn’t really matter if I was focusing. She placed the blood pressure cuff on my upper arm, whipped out her stethoscope and began to measure.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Squish, squish, squish. The cuff inflated. She listened as the air seeped out and the cuff deflated. She wrote down the numbers and took the cuff off. She then folded the chart together and put it outside the door. “The doctor will be in shortly,” she pleasantly announced.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>What was she doing?! Where was she going?! I called her name and said, Wait. What was my blood pressure?” She replied, “108 over 72.” “Thanks,” I said.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>I was slightly perturbed that she was leaving the exam room without telling me what my blood pressure reading was. I’ve never had high blood pressure, so I wasn’t expecting it to be elevated. But it is MY blood pressure, so I needed to know what the reading was.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>I started mumbling to myself. “How is she going to take my blood pressure and not tell me what it is? Am I supposed to sit here for God knows how long and wait for the doctor to tell me?” By that time my blood pressure might actually be high!
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Now some people may think that I was going a bit overboard worrying about my blood pressure, but I don’t think so. First of all, it’s my health and my body. I almost felt as if the medical assistant was taking something that was rightfully mine and acting like it was the doctor’s information, not mine. Second, as a physician, I know first-hand the devastating effects of untreated hypertension – heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and blindness, just to name a few.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In this issue of Your Health Matters “font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>, you can read about a young woman who had a stroke at the age of 33. It’s an interesting story for many reasons, including that the symptoms of the stroke began when she was on a first date at a very nice restaurant. She was shocked when she realized that she was having a stroke because her blood pressure was extremely high and she had no idea.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>High blood pressure ,or hypertension, is often called the “silent killer” because a person can have an elevated blood pressure for years and have few, if any, symptoms until a life-threatening event such as a stroke or heart attack occurs. It’s estimated that 75 million Americans have high blood pressure, and African Americans are at higher risk for complications.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In October of 2010, the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks released a consensus statement recommending that treatment for hypertension in blacks occur sooner and be more aggressive. The consensus statement, which was co-authored by Angela L. Brown, MD, director of the Hypertension Clinic at Washington University School of Medicine, recommends that African Americans with blood pressures above 115/75 begin lifestyle modifications to prevent hypertension and its long-term consequences.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>That number, again, is 115/75. So, although my blood pressure reading is normal, it’s not far from 115/75, which means that I must be sure to monitor it.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The next time you are visiting your doctor, make sure that you ask what your blood pressure reading is and discuss the reading with your doctor to make sure that you know what your “target blood pressure” is. Don’t be afraid to ask the nurse or medical assistant what your reading is. They will be more than happy to give you want belongs to you.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>For more information about hypertension, visit “font-size: 10pt; font-family:”>
“http://tinyurl.com/4ator9h”>
“font-family: Verdana; text-decoration: none;”>http://tinyurl.com/4ator9h
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Consuelo H. Wilkins, M.D., is health editor of The St. Louis American.
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