Page 46 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2017

HEALTHY LIVING know your numbers
Number of Americans with high blood pressure
story by Lynn Lofton
photo courtesy of Chris Kerby
High blood pressure continues to be a health hazard
for many Americans and especially for Mississippians. The American Heart Association’s website notes that about 80 million Americans have high blood pressure and that nearly 20 percent don’t even know they have it. Chris Kerby, M.D., who practices at Memorial Physician Clinics - Bridgewater Family Medicine, says the figure
is 75 million American Adults (32 percent), according
to the Centers for Disease Control. Neither figure is encouraging and both sources agree that one in every three American adults has pre hypertension — blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal but not yet in the high blood pressure range.
“Only about half (54 percent) of the people with high blood pressure have their condition under control,”
Dr. Kerby said. “High blood pressure was a primary
or contributing cause of death for more than 410,000 Americans in 2014; that’s more than 1,100 deaths each day. More than 700,000 Mississippi adults have high blood pressure (hypertension), and thousands more may be at risk.”
Kerby, who practices with his wife, Barbara Kerby, Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, adds, “High blood pressure is called the ‘silent killer’ because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. Rarely, high blood pressure can cause symptoms such as headaches or vomiting.”
Most of the time there are no obvious symptoms,
but certain physical traits and lifestyle choices can put you at greater risk for developing high blood pressure.
Individuals should be aware of the following risk factors:
• unhealthy diet
• consumption of too much
alcohol
• not enough physical
activity • obesity
• tobacco use
• family history • age
• gender
• race.
Asked what can be done to help prevent high blood pressure, Kerby said, “Eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, have your blood pressure checked, get enough physical activity, don’t smoke, limit alcohol use, manage diabetes, and take medications.”
Although there is no cure for high blood pressure, there is hope and with proper treatment and management, you can live a long and healthy life. “Talk with your health care provider,” Kerby said. “As part of its Community Health Initiative, Memorial Providers are reaching out
to patients with two or more chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and
high cholesterol to remain up-to-
date on lab work, screenings and
vaccinations and address overdue
care management needs.”
Memorial Physician Clinics
- Bridgewater Family Medicine 8970 Lorraine Road, Gulfport 228.575.1787 www.gulfportmemorial.com
Chris Kerby, M.D.
American Heart Association
www.heart.org
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