By Peggy Sue McRae, Journal contributor

Thanks to the American Heart Association islanders now have more options for monitoring our blood pressure. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is very common. Almost half of American adults have high blood pressure yet it often goes undiagnosed and untreated. You may have no symptoms at all but it is dangerous and can kill you. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. A new study written about in this April’s Scientific American1 (To Reduce Dementia Risk, Treat High Blood Pressure, by Liz Szabo edited by Allison Parshall. April 21, 2025) suggests that controlling your blood pressure can also reduce risk of dementia.

Now, thanks to a partnership with the American Heart Association the Mullis Community Senior Center will have a blood pressure self-monitoring station available. The station is expected to be in place by mid-May for use by patrons during business hours. The Mullis Center is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also in partnership with the AHA both the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center and San Juan Island Library now have blood pressure self-monitoring kits that can be checked out for up to two weeks with instructions available in both English and Spanish.

I confess I’ve never liked getting my blood pressure taken. Besides feeling like a boa constrictor has got me by the arm and might squeeze me to death the numbers seemed confusing. Which one is systolic and which one is diastolic? What do the numbers mean? In fact, it’s pretty simple. Systolic is the top number. This number measures the force of blood against the artery walls during a heartbeat. The number on the bottom is the diastolic pressure. This measures the pressure between heartbeats. Something close to 120/80, 120 measuring systolic, and 80 measuring diastolic, is considered ideal.

Mine is often above the ideal and no doubt that is another reason I don’t like getting mine taken. I usually factor in “white coat syndrome”. It is not uncommon for a person’s blood pressure to automatically go up when they enter a medical facility. If my blood pressure is high I often ask if I can get it taken again at the end of my doctor visit. Invariably my blood pressure will come down significantly. I am more relaxed at the end of my visit plus a few minutes of long slow deep breathing brings it down a notch every time. While our new options for self-monitoring can help us avoid white coat syndrome if your blood pressure is consistently high it is recommended you see a health professional and consider treatment.

Genetics, aging, and lifestyle factors can all contribute to developing high blood pressure. Either of your parents having hypertension can indicate that you are more likely to develop it yourself. Eating a healthy diet, getting adequate exercise and sleep, managing stress, all of these lifestyle factors can contribute to keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range. Something as simple as a 30-minute walk can help manage stress while also providing exercise. Stay healthy my friends and don’t forget to check your blood pressure!