About 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure, more than 73 million people.
Women with high blood pressure are often overweight and have high cholesterol, and they are less likely than men to have their blood pressure under control or to take aspirin and drugs to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Most people don't know that heart disease is the number one killer of both women and men in America: every year 480,000 women die of cardiovascular disease.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause serious damage throughout the body: strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney damage, blindness and many other problems. Yet many women don't give it the attention it needs; some stop their medicines without asking their doctor because of side effects such as insomnia, tiredness and depression, or because they believe high blood pressure is a man's disease.
Only about 60% of women with high blood pressure have it under control. Campaigns such as "Go Red for Women" remind women that lowering blood pressure can cut the risk of stroke by about half and the risk of heart attack by about 25%.
Lifestyle changes help lower blood pressure. Eat a diet low in fat and salt, rich in fruit, vegetables and calcium; choose grilled rather than fried food, especially when eating out; stop smoking and cut down on alcohol.
Scientists are also trying to make a vaccine that lowers blood pressure by blocking angiotensin II, the molecule that narrows blood vessels. Such a vaccine could be a convenient way for many people to control their blood pressure, but it is still under research.
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