Heart health 101

The heart is a wonder: it beats about 2.5 billion times over the average person’s lifetime, delivering blood that carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.¹ Our heart and blood vessels play a huge role in our overall health. When they are under stress, the entire body is affected.

It’s never too late to start focusing on your health. So, let’s dive into a little “heart 101” and learn how to live a more heart-healthy life.

What’s blood pressure got to do with it?

Your blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted on the walls of the vessels that carry blood throughout the body.² When the force of blood flowing through these vessels remains high over time, it’s called high blood pressure.³ Risk factors for high blood pressure include:⁴

• Family history
• Age, race and gender
• A diet high in sodium, sugar or fat
• Not enough physical activity
• Insufficient sleep and sleep apnea
• Unmanaged stress
• High cholesterol
• Health conditions like diabetes, kidney disorders and obesity
• Smoking, vaping and tobacco use
• Heavy alcohol use

The “silent” killer

High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because it often has no warning signs and quietly damages the body for years before obvious symptoms appear. Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know for sure if you have high blood pressure.³

Over time, high blood pressure can damage the blood vessel walls, creating tiny tears. Fat and cholesterol buildup forms plaque that narrows the vessels and can block blood flow to your organs.⁵ High blood pressure can damage your:

• Arteries (narrowing and stiffening, plaque buildup)
• Heart (heart attack, heart failure, heart disease)
• Brain (stroke, dementia)
• Kidneys (kidney disease, kidney failure)
• Eyes (optic nerve damage, vision loss)
• Sexual function (erectile dysfunction, diminished sex drive)

Know your numbers

Just like you know your height and weight, it’s important to know your blood pressure and measure it regularly. The American Heart Association defines blood pressure categories as:⁶

Normal:* less than 120/less than 80 mmHg

Elevated:* 120-129/less than 80 mmHg

*Both numbers must be in range.

High blood pressure** (stage 1): 130-139/or 80-89 mmHg

High blood pressure** (stage 2): 140 or higher/or 90 mmHg or higher

**Either number can be out of range.

Learn more about our Hypertension Management program

What you can do

The good news is that high blood pressure can be managed. Your doctor may recommend treatment options like lifestyle changes and possibly medication.⁷ Here are some ways to help take your “heart health” into your own hands:

1. Lifestyle changes:

• Stay active. Aim for 150 minutes of physical activity every week or 30 minutes five times a week.⁸ Every bit of physical activity counts, and even light exercise can help manage your blood pressure and make your heart stronger.
• Quit smoking, vaping and tobacco use.
• Aim for a healthy weight. Losing even a small amount of weight can help prevent or manage high blood pressure while also helping improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels.^9,10
• Choose heart-nourishing foods. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a balanced eating plan that focuses on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products and healthy fats while limiting alcohol, sodium, added sugars, saturated fats and trans fats.¹¹ The DASH plan is flexible and easy to follow, with many delicious recipes available.
• Get enough sleep. Stick to a sleep schedule and try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.¹²

2. Measure your blood pressure and see your doctor regularly.

3. Manage your diabetes.

High blood sugar levels from type 2 diabetes can damage your blood vessels.⁹

4. Take your blood pressure medicine as your doctor recommends. 

Doing so will help keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. Ask your doctor if you should be taking your medication at a certain time of day or with food or water. Need help remembering to take it? Try these tips:

• Set a reminder on your phone or smartwatch
• Take your medication alongside a daily activity, such as while eating breakfast or brushing your teeth before bed
• Keep your medication in a safe location that is easy to spot and avoid “out of sight, out of mind”
• Leave a reminder note somewhere you’ll see often, like the fridge door or bathroom mirror
• Flip your pill bottle over after taking your medication if you tend to forget whether you’ve taken it or not
• Enroll in automatic refills from your pharmacy and/or use a mail-order pharmacy

It’s all connected

Chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, often appear together as they share some similar risk factors. People with diabetes have twice the risk of heart disease.⁹ Being overweight or having obesity raises your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.²

Managing your blood pressure is a win-win situation. By taking the healthy steps to manage it, you may also lower your blood sugar and cholesterol and achieve a healthier weight. These actions can help reduce your risk of developing other chronic conditions.

Remember, you can do this! It’s never too late to start making choices that support your health. And you don’t have to do it on your own. Create your Teladoc Health account to learn more about condition management programs that are available to you.

Create my account

Are you a salt-and-crunch craver? Try these 10 “better-for-your-blood pressure” snacks.

Published October 22, 2024