The “Big Squeeze” Can Help Track a Silent Killer
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - About one-third of the adults in the U.S. have a serious health condition that they may not even be aware of. Alicia Collura with Falls Community Health, Sioux Falls, says now, during High Blood Pressure Awareness Month, is the time to be screened for the condition, also known as hypertension.
"It's a condition that we call the 'silent killer,' because high blood pressure can often have no symptoms. It increases your risk for heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease, however."
Falls Community Health is pushing "The Big Squeeze" during May as a way to increase public awareness of high blood pressure, and to encourage more people to get screened. The screenings are simple and quick, Collura says.
"The screenings are not meant as a diagnostic tool. But if there is a blood pressure that is outside of the range of what is considered 'normal,' those people would be referred to follow up with their own primary care provider."
Collura says there are lots of screening locations. A complete list can be found at www.heart.org.
Jerry Oster, Public News Service - SD
